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High-Resolution Color CCDs for Consumer Digital Still Cameras Support VGA Resolution Moving Picture Imaging
ICX665/675 Series
Diagonal 7.705 mm (Type 1/2.3) 10.17M-Effective Pixel
ICX637CQZ
Diagonal 7.215 mm (Type 1/2.5) 9.14M-Effective Pixel
In addition to the existing needs for even higher resolution in compact consumer digital still cameras, there are
now increasing needs for improved high-ISO sensitivity and higher dynamic range.
Sony has now developed two new CCDs that, while maintaining high picture quality by taking advantage of Sony’s
unique fine pixel fabrication technologies, achieve further miniaturization, higher resolution, and superb image
sensor characteristics as well. These are the ICX665/675 Series 1.68 μm unit pixel CCDs and the ICX637CQZ,
which features the industry’s smallest unit pixel with a size of only 1.66 μm. |
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ICX665/675 Series |
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■ Diagonal 7.705 mm (Type 1/2.3)
10.17M effective pixels
■ Pixel size: 1.68 μm unit pixel
■ Six-field readout
■ Horizontal divided into thirds
output
■ Horizontal 3-phase drive (ICX675
Series: horizontal 2-phase drive) |
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| ICX637CQZ |
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■ Diagonal 7.215 mm (Type 1/2.5)
9.14M effective pixels
■ Pixel size: 1.66 μm unit pixel
■ Five-field readout
■ Horizontal divided into thirds
output
■ Horizontal 2-phase drive |
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 The Industry’s Smallest
Pixel Size Achieved |
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As opposed to the 1.75 μm unit pixel of
existing products, the ICX665/675 Series with
its 1.68 μm unit pixel and the ICX637CQZ
with its 1.66 μm unit pixel achieve higher
pixel counts in Type 1/2.3 and Type 1/2.5
CCDs. These devices take full advantage of
Sony’s unique fine fabrication technologies to
maximize the photodiode area and achieve
higher performance in the sensitivity characteristics, saturation signal (dynamic
range), and smear characteristics. These new
CCDs thus achieve equal or better basic
characteristics than the existing ICX636
(diagonal 7.183 mm (Type 1/2.5) 8.15M
effective pixels). |
| High Sensitivity, High Saturation
Signal |
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Despite a unit pixel area reduced by about 8%
from the existing Sony ICX636, the
ICX665/675 Series CCDs achieve a saturation
signal increased by 10% to 465 mV and an
equivalent green sensitivity of 160 mV. (See
table 2.)
By using finer feature sizes for all of the
vertical register, read gate, and channel stop,
Sony was able to increase the area of the
photodiode, which converts photons to
electrons and accumulates the signal charge.
In addition, Sony used single-layer interconnect
technology to move the microlenses to a lower
layer to achieve an even smaller pixel without
sacrificing condensing efficiency. (See figures
1 and 2.) |
Low Smear Characteristics
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In the ICX665/675 Series and the ICX637CQZ,
Sony succeeded in reducing smear component
admixture to the vertical registers by adopting
Sony's unique fine fabrication technologies.
The use of these technologies allowed Sony to
improve the smear characteristics by
approximately 4 dB from the existing Sony ICX636, thus achieving a -89 dB level in frame
readout mode. (See table 2.) |
| Readout Modes |
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The ICX665/675 Series CCDs features Sony’s
unique horizontal and vertical addition function
and provide an wide variety of readout modes.
These CCDs provide the following modes:
frame readout mode, which can acquire the
full 10.17M-effective pixel still images; frame
readout horizontal addition mode, which is
capable of high-sensitivity imaging at the high
frame rate of 5.5 frame/s by performing
horizontal 3-pixel addition; 4/12-line readout
mode, which can acquire VGA resolution
images at 30 frame/s, and 4/24-line readout
mode, which can acquire images at the high
frame rate of 60 frame/s. (See table 2.) |
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•••• Mr. Takiguchi ••••
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The whole development team worked
together as a unified whole in a project
that involved repeated trial-and-error
experiments to evolve Sony’s fine
fabrication technology even further. At the
same time as using this technology to
respond to the needs for further
miniaturization and higher pixel counts,
we also assured superb image sensor
characteristics. I strongly recommend that
you look into adopting the ICX665/675/637
CCDs to respond to needs in the digital
still camera market. |
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See
all articles with figures and tables.  |
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Vol.52 |
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