Patent ID: 8552755

Claim:
An apparatus for measuring current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, said apparatus comprising: a lamp configured to emit light; a substrate support structure configured to support a substrate, the substrate comprising a plurality of solar cells, a plurality of positive electrodes, each of the plurality of positive electrodes being operatively connected to one of the plurality of solar cells, and at least one negative electrode peripherally deposited around each of the plurality of solar cells; a multi-probe switching matrix comprising a plurality of probes, wherein each probe is individually articulable; a programmable switch box operatively coupled to the multi-probe switching matrix and configured to selectively articulate each of the plurality of probes such that the probes are moved to contact at least one of the plurality of positive electrodes and the at least one negative electrode and re-moved until contact is lost with the at least one of the plurality of positive electrodes and the at least one negative electrode; and a source meter operatively coupled to the programmable switch box and configured to measure the I-V characteristics of the substrate.