We describe the design and operation of a
spectrally programmable solar simulator capable of being
concentrated to very high irradiance for the testing of multijunction
concentrator solar cells. The simulator utilizes a spatially
coherent, super-continuum laser as the light source and a hybrid
pair of prism-based spectrometers with spatial light modulators
to precisely control the spectrum. Spectra are presented which
simulate scaled versions of the AM 1.5 solar reference spectrum,
correct for spectral mismatch, and model attenuation from
increasing air-mass. The simulation of attenuated spectra may be
used to study conditions representative of changes in location,
weather, time of day, and time of year. We used the
programmable simulator to test a multi-junction solar cell at up
to 138 suns. We used a static, non-programmable version of the
simulator to test the same cell at well over 500 suns. Technical
improvements which would achieve substantial increases in
irradiance and/or cell illumination area are described