| . |
. |
| |
1.4 μm Unit Pixel High Picture Quality
CMOS Sensors for Cellular Phones
Feature the Industry's Smallest*1 Pixel Size
IMX045PQ/IMX046PQ/IMX060PQ
The camera function in cellular phones is being used increasingly in daily life due to its convenience. As a result, even
higher picture quality is now required to allow use as a recording medium that is always close at hand. In addition,
cellular phones themselves are becoming smaller and slimmer to improve their designer image, and even further
miniaturization is desired in the cameras used in these products.
Sony has now developed fabrication technology that can create the industry's smallest*1unit pixel with a width of only
1.4 μm, and has now developed three CMOS sensors, with 5, 8, and 12M-pixel resolutions, using this technology.
In addition to the miniaturization and increased resolution provided by this 1.4 μm unit pixel, Sony has also achieved
high sensitivity and a high signal-to-noise ratio in these devices by developing a new condensing structure and new
process technologies to support the finer pixel pitch.
*1 As of Spring 2009. |
|
|
|
IMX045PQ/IMX046PQ/IMX060PQ |
| . |
. |
|
IMX045PQ
■ Diagonal 4.5 mm (Type 1/4)
5.15M effective pixels
■ Frame rate: 22.5 frame/s
IMX046PQ
■ Diagonal 5.76 mm (Type 1/3.2)
8.11M effective pixels
■ Frame rate: 15 frame/s
IMX060PQ
■ Diagonal 7.1 mm (Type 1/2.5)
12.25M effective pixels
■ Frame rate: 10 frame/s
“Exmor” is a trademark of Sony Corporation.
“Exmor” is a version of Sony’s high performance
CMOS sensor with high-speed processing,
low noise and low power dissipation by using
column-parallel A/D conversion.
|
|
 |
| |
|
 The Industry's Smallest Pixel and
Highest Pixel Count Achieved |
|
In general, when making pixels even smaller,
the area of the pixel aperture becomes smaller
and it becomes more difficult for the pixel to
collect light. As a result, picture quality is
reduced by the corresponding reduction in sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio.
In the development of those devices, Sony
reexamined the optimal condensing structure
for this 1.4 μm fine unit pixel and succeed
in improving the condensing ratio. Also, by
developing new fine pixel fabrication process
technologies, Sony achieved an aperture ratio
in the light accepting area equivalent to that
of Sony's existing 1.75 μm unit pixel. As a
result of these new technologies, these new
devices achieve the same high sensitivity
and high signal-to-noise ratio of the 1.75 μm
unit pixel despite the 1.4 μm pixel size. (See
tables 1 and 2.)
Furthermore, as a result of developing this
1.4 μm pixel, the IMX060PQ achieves the
industry's highest pixel count for a Type 1/2.5
sensor of 12.25M pixels, which corresponds
to a factor of about 1.5 increase in pixel count
over existing products. Despite its small size,
the IMX060PQ can acquire finely detailed
images. (See photograph 1.) |
| Pixel Peripheral Circuits
Miniaturized |
|
In this device, Sony succeeded in reducing
the size of the circuits in the pixel periphery
by introducing a new fine fabrication process
technology.
In addition to Sony's unique column-parallel
A/D conversion circuits having a
structure that is easy for the fine fabrication
technologies designed for digital circuits to
handle, Sony was able to reduce the number of circuits by a factor of 2 due to the greater
efficiency of these A/D converters. This
contributed to a significant size reduction.
(See figure 1.) |
Wide Range of Solutions
|
|
These products support the MIPI interface,
which is the next generation high-speed
serial interface standard for cellular phones
equipment, as the output format for captured
image data. This makes it possible to connect
these sensors to next generation multimedia
processors that include an MIPI interface.
These devices also provide a wide range
of readout modes that support high-speed
video. In addition to pixel elimination mode,
pixel addition readout mode, and window
cropping mode, they also provide 720p and
1080p modes as HDTV modes. (See table 3.)
These devices respond to a wide range of user
needs in addition to the small size and high
pixel counts they provide. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
•••• Mr. Okumura , Mr.Muramatsu and Mr.Mamezaki••••
|
|
|
We succeeded in creating a CMOS
sensor product with a unit pixel size of
1.4 μm, which goes beyond the trend
in CCD image sensor miniaturization.
This is the result of the design and
manufacturing groups working together
as a single team towards the goal of
improving, even slightly, the image quality
from the cameras that are always at
hand. We strongly recommend that you
look into this product. |
|
 |
See
all articles with figures and tables.  |
|
Vol.56 |
|
