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High-Resolution Diagonal 7.183 mm (Type 1/2.5) 8.15M-Effective Pixel
and Diagonal 9.299 mm (Type 1/1.7) 12.19M-Effective Pixel Color CCDs
for Consumer Digital Still Cameras Support VGA Resolution Moving Picture Imaging
ICX636/646 Series
ICX612CQZ
In the compact consumer digital still camera market, in addition to
the earlier desire for higher pixel counts, there are increasing needs
for improved high ISO sensitivity and lower power.
By taking advantage of Sony’s unique fine pixel fabrication technologies,
by optimizing circuit designs, and by other efforts, Sony has
now developed the ICX636/646 Series of 1.75 μm unit pixel CCDs which
achieve the industry’s smallest pixel size while maintaining high picture
quality. Sony has also developed at the same time the ICX612CQZ,
which achieves a recorded pixel count of 12M pixels in compact consumer
digital still cameras.
Additionally, both the ICX636 Series and the ICX612CQZ achieve lower
power consumption through the adoption of new drive methods. |
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ICX636/646 Series |
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* Diagonal 7.183 mm (Type 1/2.5) 8.15M
effective pixels
* Pixel size: 1.75 μm unit pixel
* Five-field readout
* Horizontal divided into thirds output
* Horizontal 3-phase drive
(The ICX646 Series devices use
horizontal 2-phase drive) |
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ICX612CQZ |
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* Diagonal 9.299 mm (Type 1/1.7) 12.19M
effective pixels
* Pixel size: 1.85 μm unit pixel
* Six-field readout
* Horizontal divided into thirds output
* Horizontal 3-phase drive |
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 CCD with a 1.75 μm Unit Pixels,
the Industry’s Smallest |
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Sony has now released the ICX636/646
Series, which feature a 1.75 μm unit pixels,
the industry’s smallest. To achieve at
the same time superb performance in the
sensitivity characteristics, the saturation
signal level, and the smear characteristics,
Sony switched to a finer feature size in the
vertical transfer registers and optimized
the aperture area. Sony increased the aperture
ratio per unit pixel by 9% from the
existing ICX629 (see CX-NEWS Vol. 45).
These technologies allowed Sony to
achieve equivalent levels of sensitivity,
saturation signal level, and smear characteristics
as the existing ICX629 despite the
reduced pixel size. |
| Low Power Consumption |
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Sony achieved a 57% reduction in the
horizontal transfer register power consumption
compared to the existing Sony
ICX629 by developing and adopting two
new drive methods. |
| Load Reduction of 50% Due to Horizontal
Divided into Thirds Output
Method |
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In earlier methods, a single signal line was
transferred to the horizontal transfer register
at the same time. In the divided into
thirds output method newly developed for
this product, a single unit consists of three
pixels and a single signal line is divided
into lines consisting of every three pixels
for transfer to the horizontal transfer register.
(See figure 1.) By adopting this
structure, Sony was able to radically reduce
the number of electrodes and reduce
the capacitance between clocks by 50%.
Also, by increasing the area per single
electrode, Sony achieved a charge amount handled by the horizontal transfer register
about three times larger than that of
earlier technologies. Additionally, in moving
picture imaging mode, as opposed to
the earlier technique in which two pixels
were added horizontally, in this new technique,
three pixels are added horizontally.
This makes it possible to increase the
frame rate. |
| 2.3 V Low-Amplitude Drive Horizontal
Three-Phase Driver |
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In the earlier horizontal two-phase drive
method, it was necessary to transfer charge
while overcoming a potential barrier for
preventing color mixing, and a large amplitude
was required. In horizontal three-phase
drive, since charge is transferred
sequentially as shown in figure 2, no potential
barrier is required and transfer at
low amplitudes becomes possible. By
switching from horizontal two-phase drive
to horizontal three-phase drive, Sony reduced
the required amplitude by about
1 V.
*: The ICX646 Series products use the same
horizontal two-phase drive as Sony’s existing
ICX629, and are therefore used with the same drive
specifications as that existing product. |
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•••• Mr. SHIRAISHI ••••
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The members of our group are
unanimous in our conviction that
we have achieved the industry’s
highest picture quality. We also
worked both to improve the frame
rate and to lower power consumption,
which are two critical issues
for CCD products, and we also
established a new CCD drive technique.
I strongly hope that you will
take advantage of the industry-leading
ICX636/646 Series and
ICX612CQZ CCD products. |
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See
all articles with figures and tables.  |
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Vol.49 |
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