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FBK publishes a MDPI paper "Numerical Model of SPAD-Based Direct Time-of-Flight Flash LIDAR CMOS Image Sensors" by Alessandro Tontini, Leonardo Gasparini, and Matteo Perenzoni.

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MDPI paper "CMOS Depth Image Sensor with Offset Pixel Aperture Using a Back-Side Illumination Structure for Improving Disparity" by Jimin Lee, Sang-Hwan Kim, Hyeunwoo Kwen, Juneyoung Jang, Seunghyuk Chang, Jongho Park, Sang-Jin Lee, and Jang-Kyoo Shin from from KAIST and Kyungpook National University, Korea, compares FSI and BSI 3D imagers with PDAF pixels:

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Counterpoint Research publishes its component analysis of the new Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G. The cameras cost is $60.30 out of the $468 BOM.

"The device also features one of the most advanced camera sensors in a nicely integrated three-sensor module. Unlike the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G features a lower resolution telephoto lens, omitting the DepthVision sensor, and adding a laser auto-focus module optimized for faster focusing. Samsung CIS camera sensors have come a long way and compete fiercely with Sony for design wins," says the company's Senior Analyst, Ethan Qi.

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OSA Optics Express paper "Self-powered broadband photo-detection and persistent energy generation with junction-free strained Bi2Te3 thin films" by Bruno Lorenzi, Yoichiro Tsurimaki, Akihiro Kobayashi, Masayuki Takashiri, and Svetlana V. Boriskina from MIT, University of Milano Bicocca, and Tokai University proposes a way to generate voltage from light with no p-n junction:

"We experimentally demonstrate efficient broadband self-powered photo-detection and power generation in thin films of polycrystalline bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) semiconductors under inhomogeneous strain. The developed simple, junction-free, lightweight, and flexible photo-detectors are composed of a thin active layer and Ohmic contacts on a flexible plastic substrate, and can operate at room temperature and without application of an external bias voltage. We attribute the observed phenomena to the generation of an electric field due to a spontaneous polarization produced by strain gradient, which can separate both photo-generated and thermally-generated charge carriers in bulk of the semiconductor material, without a semiconductor junction. We show that the developed photo-detectors can generate electric power during both the daytime and the nighttime, by either harnessing solar and thermal radiation or by emitting thermal radiation into the cold sky. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the power generation in a simple junction-free device under negative illumination, which exhibits higher voltage than the previously used expensive commercial HgCdTe photo-diode. Significant improvements in the photo-detector performance are expected if the low-charge-mobility polycrystalline active layer is replaced with high-quality single-crystal material. The technology is not limited to Bi2Te3 as the active material, and offers many potential applications in night vision, wearable sensors, long-range LIDAR, and daytime/nighttime energy generation technologies."

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OSA Optics Express paper "Self-powered broadband photo-detection and persistent energy generation with junction-free strained Bi2Te3 thin films" by Bruno Lorenzi, Yoichiro Tsurimaki, Akihiro Kobayashi, Masayuki Takashiri, and Svetlana V. Boriskina from MIT, University of Milano Bicocca, and Tokai University proposes a way to generate voltage from light with no p-n junction:

"We experimentally demonstrate efficient broadband self-powered photo-detection and power generation in thin films of polycrystalline bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) semiconductors under inhomogeneous strain. The developed simple, junction-free, lightweight, and flexible photo-detectors are composed of a thin active layer and Ohmic contacts on a flexible plastic substrate, and can operate at room temperature and without application of an external bias voltage. We attribute the observed phenomena to the generation of an electric field due to a spontaneous polarization produced by strain gradient, which can separate both photo-generated and thermally-generated charge carriers in bulk of the semiconductor material, without a semiconductor junction. We show that the developed photo-detectors can generate electric power during both the daytime and the nighttime, by either harnessing solar and thermal radiation or by emitting thermal radiation into the cold sky. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the power generation in a simple junction-free device under negative illumination, which exhibits higher voltage than the previously used expensive commercial HgCdTe photo-diode. Significant improvements in the photo-detector performance are expected if the low-charge-mobility polycrystalline active layer is replaced with high-quality single-crystal material. The technology is not limited to Bi2Te3 as the active material, and offers many potential applications in night vision, wearable sensors, long-range LIDAR, and daytime/nighttime energy generation technologies."

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Technode reports that "in July, Dekema (AKA Dekoma, Decoma, Tacoma), a Nanjing-based chipmaker backed by the local government, announced it was bankrupt because of “financial difficulties” in raising additional funds from investors. The Nanjing company previously received $3 billion from investors including the Nanjing municipal government."

Nanjing local web site China Business Network publishes photos of the abandoned image sensor fab and talks about the project history:

"The second phase of the project is a 12-inch wafer fab, with an investment of US$2.3 billion and a designed monthly capacity of 20,000 12-inch wafers. The main product is its own brand image sensor. The above-mentioned economic development zone staff stated that the reason for agreeing to cooperate with Dekema is that it has the support of foreign-funded enterprises and that it has the corresponding technical capabilities. What it lacks is only capital.

However, it is worth noting that the so-called technology of Decoma was also purchased from foreign companies. The first to be included in the bag by Deco code is the relevant process authorization of the CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor purchased from STMicroelectronics. Then they bought related patents and technology licenses from ON Semiconductor. Later, a chip design company was established in Japan, and the original Japanese Toshiba CMOS image sensor design and R&D team was recruited."

Nikkei reports that TowerJazz too has been involved in Dekema (Tacoma) project: "TowerJazz didn't contribute any cash to the project but was contracted as a technical consultant. Tacoma paid TowerJazz $30 million under a technology license agreement. TowerJazz also promised to purchase as much as 50% of Tacoma's targeted 40,000 wafers a month."

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Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, publishes a MDPI paper "Current-Mode Self-Amplified CMOS Sensor Intended for 2D Temperature Microgradients Measurement and Imaging" by Patrick M. Santos, Davies W. L. Monteiro, and Luciana P. Salles.

"This paper presents the design of a current-mode CMOS self-amplified imager operating in dark conditions, for thermal imaging, which provides an innovative solution for precision thermal contact mapping. Possible applications of this imager range from 3D CMOS integrated circuits to the study of in-vivo biological samples. It can provide a thermal map, static or dynamic, for the measurement of temperature microgradients. Some adaptations are required for the optimization of this self-amplified image sensor since it responds exclusively to the dark currents of the photodiodes throughout the array. The sensor is designed in a standard CMOS process and requires no post-processing steps. The optimized image sensor operates with integration times as low as one μs and can achieve both SNR and dynamic range compatible to those of sensors available on the market, estimated as 87dB and 75dB, respectively; noise equivalent temperature difference can be as low as 10mK; and detection errors as low as ±1%. Furthermore, under optimal conditions the self-amplification process enables a simple form of CDS, enhancing the overall sensor noise performance."

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Sony publishes flyers of 9 new sensors IMX535, IMX536, IMX537, IMX545, IMX546, IMX547, IMX565, IMX566, IMX567. The new sensors feature 2.74um stacked global shutter pixel:

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NHK holds on-line IBC exhibition on Sept. 8-11. The company presents a three-layer organic-film color image sensor among other stuff.

"This structure enables all color information of red, green and blue to be obtained within a single pixel, achieving a high-resolution image sensor that uses light more efficiently. We will continue to work reducing the pixel size and increasing the number of pixels, and accelerate R&D toward realizing a compact, high-resolution, single-chip camera."

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TheElec: Corephotonics-Samsung has withdrawn its patent violation claim against LG InnoTek after the validity of Corephotonics’ patents were rejected by South Korea’s IP Trail and Appeal Board (KIPO). Corephotonics prepares an appeal against the patent board’s judgment.

TheElec: Corephotonics also sues Apple over infringement on its telephoto camera patents. US Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) rejected Apple's invalidation request against Corephotonics. Apple appeals this decision.

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IS&T publishes a talk by Yasuyuki Fujihara, a PhD student at Tohoku University, Japan, on over 120dB DR 2-stage LOFIC sensor. After a short introduction about IS&T society, the talk itself starts at 6:00 time in the video:

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BusinessWire: Ouster raises $42M in a Round B funding. After launching its second generation of high-resolution lidar sensors in January, Ouster’s 12-month revenue has grown by 62%, with third quarter bookings up 209% year over year as customers adopt its sensors in key computer vision technologies. Ouster now counts over 800 customers across 15 markets, including Konecranes, Postmates, Ike, May Mobility, Kodiak Robotics, Coast Autonomous, the U.S. Army, NASA, Stanford University, and MIT University, as well as Chinese automation leaders idriverplus, WhaleAI, Hongjing Drive, and Qcraft.

Ouster has opened offices in Paris, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, and Suzhou to expand global sales and customer service capabilities. The company has also expanded overseas production of its sensors with Benchmark, a contract manufacturer, to keep up with growing demand.

“Ouster’s digital lidar architecture gives us fundamental advantages that are winning over customers in every market we serve. Digital CMOS technology is the future of lidar and Ouster was the first to invent, build, patent, and commercialize digital lidar. Once our customers experience the resolution and reliability of these sensors at an affordable price, there’s no turning back to legacy analog lidar,” said Angus Pacala, CEO of Ouster.

Forbes quotes Derek Frome, Director of Marketing for Ouster: “In absolute numbers, we're projected to finish the year around a similar revenue number as Luminar, and about one-third the size of Velodyne—pretty incredible for only having been selling sensors for about 20 months versus more than 10 years for Velodyne.”

Yole Development names Ouster second highest in revenue in the “high resolution” category for lidar manufacturers, according to Ouster. The company has raised $140M to date, and will use its new funds to expand product development and international sales.

BusinessWire: Aeva and ZF announce a partnership where ZF would mass produce Aeva's FMCW LiDAR.


BusinessWire: Velodyne publishes another presentation updating about its business. The company reports a gross margin of 14% for its LiDAR sensors, despite a relatively fat price tag:


TheElec reports that SOS Lab is going launch its 2D LiDAR SL-2 aimed at factory automation in October. Next year, the company intends to launch a 3D solid-state LiDAR ML-1 aimed to autonomous market.

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PRNewswire: SEMI reports that fab equipment spending increases. Image sensors equipment spending is expected to rise 4% to US$3B in 2020 and jump 11% to US$3.4B in 2021.

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Ishikawa Laboratory from the University of Tokio uses eye tracker to compensate for optical illusions:

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BusinessWire: OmniVision and GEO Semiconductor announce a joint solution for rear-view cameras (RVCs), surround-view systems (SVS) and e-mirrors. This solution includes OmniVision’s OX03C10, that combines a large 3.0um pixel, HDR of 140dB, and LED flicker mitigation (LFM). This sensor takes advantage of the GEO GW5 CVP family’s ability to process 140dB HDR images with full LFM at 60fps. Conversely, the GW5 family’s advanced local tone mapping enables it to make optimal use of the OX03C10’s industry-leading HDR and LFM image captures, providing a more pleasing image for drivers.

GlobeNewswire: Teledyne e2v announces a 2MP compact module featuring a pre-focused, industrial-grade scanning optic. This MIPI interfaced module is amed to scanning, embedded vision and many other computer vision applications. The module uses Snappy 2MP CMOS sensor with a 2.8 µm low-noise global shutter pixel.


Brookman publishes a gesture recognition demo based on its ToF sensor:

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BusinessWire: OmniVision and GEO Semiconductor announce a joint solution for rear-view cameras (RVCs), surround-view systems (SVS) and e-mirrors. This solution includes OmniVision’s OX03C10, that combines a large 3.0um pixel, HDR of 140dB, and LED flicker mitigation (LFM). This sensor takes advantage of the GEO GW5 CVP family’s ability to process 140dB HDR images with full LFM at 60fps. Conversely, the GW5 family’s advanced local tone mapping enables it to make optimal use of the OX03C10’s industry-leading HDR and LFM image captures, providing a more pleasing image for drivers.

GlobeNewswire: Teledyne e2v announces a 2MP compact module featuring a pre-focused, industrial-grade scanning optic. This MIPI interfaced module is amed to scanning, embedded vision and many other computer vision applications. The module uses Snappy 2MP CMOS sensor with a 2.8 µm low-noise global shutter pixel.


Brookman publishes a gesture recognition demo based on its ToF sensor:

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SparrowNews, GizmoChina, PCPop, Sina Technology, PRNewswire: Vivo announces that a new RGBW sensor will be used in its smartphones next year. The sparse blue and red colors coding is said to increase the sensor sensitivity by 160% over the regular RGB. The sensor is rumored to be manufactured by Samsung, named GN2 or GX1.

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GlobeNewsWire: Tower Semiconductor reports that the Company’s IT security systems identified a security incident on some of its systems as a result of a cyber event. As a preventive measure, the Company halted certain of its servers and proactively held operations in some of its manufacturing facilities, and has done so in a gradual, organized manner.

Tower has notified relevant authorities and is working closely with law enforcement organizations and with a leading team of worldwide experts, coordinated with its insurance providers, in order to recover the impacted systems as soon as possible. The Company has implemented specific measures to prevent the expansion of this event. At this point there is no assessment as to the actual effect on the Company.

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IEEE Access publishes an open access paper "Explosive Growth of Image Sensors in Smart Government Technology and Economic Scale" by Zijiang Zhu, Bochen Fu, Sheng Zhou, and Weihuang Dai from Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Wuhan Donghu University (China), and Hitotsubashi University (Japan). The abstract says:

"CMOS image sensor is a rapidly developing image sensor product in the past decade. Relying on the advantages of process compatibility with standard CMOS process, CMOS image sensor integrates analog photoelectric photosensitive circuit and digital signal processing circuit to become a small and powerful system on chip. This article mainly studies the explosive growth of image sensors in smart government technology and economic scale. The main purpose of this article is to study the technical application of image sensors, reduce the administrative cost of social governance, improve the level of government governance, benefit the public, and realize the requirements of smart government affairs and rapid economic development of the city.

This study tested the static performance of the analog-to-digital conversion circuit by inputting a limited number of sampling points, and its integral nonlinearity and differential nonlinearity were both less than 1LSB. The bandgap reference circuit provides a reference level for the entire system. It uses two PNP-type bipolar transistors parasitic in the CMOS process to achieve a temperature and voltage-independent bandgap reference voltage through the feedback of the operational amplifier. It is ideal for use In the case of resistance simulation, its accuracy reaches 16.6ppm. The scanning method of the pixel array uses multi-sampling technology to increase the dynamic range of the sensor by 2N times. The correlated sub-sampling technology eliminates the fixed pattern noise between pixel units. The use of pipelined analog-to-digital converters can achieve good resolution, speed and area compromise.Through the realization and simulation of transistor-level circuits, the performance of each part of the system meets the requirements of design and application."

The authors are mostly specializing in economics, HR, and management. Only one of them has a degree in software engineering. I was unable to understand what the authors are trying to say. To me, it looks like an AI experiment to assemble a number of meaningless sentences optimized to go through the IEEE paper selection system.

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First Sensor presentation talks about challenges in LiDAR sensors design:

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ALA, EENewsEurope: TiHive, Grenoble, France, raises €8.6M ($10M) for its THz imager, including equity funding from an fund run by the European Commission.

“The really cool thing is the EC has funded academic organisation or SMEs via grants but now have seen they go beyond that, so €2.3m is a grant and €6.3m is in equity as a partners and we will be attracting other investors,” says Hani Sherry, CEO and co-founder of TiHive. “They won’t be a majority shareholder, it’s like a Series A and will own a part of the company, so it is actually a pretty big round but we are phasing it. This development is capital intensive so we need cash and Europe would like to boost strategic technologies in Europe and they have identified us as the leader in the technology. They would like to behave like VCs with a return on investment and the idea is to continue investing.”

“We operate from a few hundred GHz to 1THz and we have demonstrated chips at 2 and 3THz but for the applications we have found the unexplored applications range from 300 to 600GHz, that’s a major area,” says Sherry. “We have tried multiple nodes, including 28FD-SOI, and we have mastered the different technologies. 65nm is a sweet spot for us, it has fantastic performance and a good cost at large scale and it has the libraries available.”

TiHive, now in its third year, initially struggled to pick a market focus as its THz imager presented such a broad array of opportunities across different industries, from luxury goods and pharmaceuticals to performance materials. Although the company continues to explore opportunities with partners in these fields, it has adopted a strategic focus on the hygiene and personal care markets. TiHive estimates a €10 billion opportunity in potential material savings and quality improvements for manufacturers of personal care products, which it claims generate a combined €150 billion in sales each year.

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University of Washington, Seattle, webinar by Arka Majumdar presents the concept of Metaphotonic Computational Image Sensor:

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Arxiv.org paper "Monte Carlo Modeling and Design of Photon Energy Attenuation Layers (PALs) for 10-30x Quantum Yield Enhancement in Si-based Hard X-ray Detectors" by Eldred Lee, Michael R. James, Kaitlin M. Anagnost, Zhehui Wang, Eric R. Fossum, and Jifeng Liu from Dartmouth College and Los Alamos National Laboratory proposes photon downconversion layer:

"High-energy (>20keV) X-ray photon detection at high quantum yield, high spatial resolution and short response time has long been an important area of study in physics. Scintillation is a prevalent method but limited in various ways. Directly detecting high-energy X-ray photons has been a challenge to this day, mainly due to low photon-to-photoelectron conversion efficiencies. Commercially available state-of-the-art Si direct detection products such as the Si charge-coupled device (CCD) are inefficient for >10keV photons. Here, we present Monte Carlo simulation results and analyses to introduce a highly effective yet simple high-energy X-ray detection concept with significantly enhanced photon-to-electron conversion efficiencies composed of two layers: a top high-Z photon energy attenuator layer (PAL) and a bottom Si detector. We use the principle of photon energy down conversion, where high-energy X-ray photon energies are attenuated down to and below 10keV via inelastic scattering suitable for efficient photoelectric absorption by Si. Our Monte Carlo simulation results demonstrate that 10-30x increase in quantum yield can be achieved using PbTe PAL on Si, potentially advancing high-resolution, high-efficiency X-ray detection using PAL-enhanced Si CMOS image sensors."

"While the overall underlying principle of photon energy down conversion could be somewhat similar to scintillator-based methods, it should be emphasized that this approach is distinctive in that the attenuated photons still remain in the X-ray spectral regime as opposed to the UV and visible regime. Unlike scintillators, the down conversion primarily relies on inelastic scattering with high-Z atoms, therefore no exotic and expensive bulk crystals (as in the case of scintillators) are needed for the PAL layers. In fact, the PAL layers can be polycrystalline or even amorphous thin films, which are much easier to fabricate than bulk crystal scintillators. The response time is also no longer limited by the optical spontaneous emission lifetime in scintillators, potentially allowing for ultrafast response since X-ray photon energy down conversion time via X-ray fluorescence and/or inelastic scattering is typically much shorter than the optical fluorescence time in scintillators. This conceptual design may also offer integration capabilities to Si CIS- or QIS-based devices for high resolution X-ray imaging."

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Sony publishes its presentations at on-line 2020 European Conference on Computer Vision.

Seigo Hirakawa from Sony, Atsugi, Japan, presents previously announced image sensors with a stacked AI processor:



Andreas Kuhn from Sony R&D Center Europe in Stuttgart, Germany, unveils a new Sony AI Vision Sensing Processor, the CXD5620GG:




Peter Dürr from Sony AI in Zürich, Switzerland, presents the future AI ideas that Sony works on:

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BusinessWire: Nordson has acquired vivaMOS which designs, develops and fabricates large-area X-ray CMOS sensors. vivaMOS was established in 2015 as a spinoff from the U.K.’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) with the aim of commercializing its X-ray image sensors. Its latest generation sensor offers a unique combination of speed, resolution and low-noise performance, enabling a wide range of X-ray applications.

“We have been collaborating closely with vivaMOS for several years, and we are excited about furthering our relationship and welcoming vivaMOS employees to the Nordson family. This acquisition gives Nordson differentiated and leading-edge X-ray sensor technology that will substantially enhance our product offerings across multiple end markets. Large panel CMOS sensors represent a critical technology for X-ray imaging. We look forward to further integrating the industry-leading sensor technology and expertise while developing new test and inspection innovations to offer our customers,” said Jeff Pembroke, EVP, Advanced Technology Solutions.

The terms of the deal are not disclosed. vivaMOS will become part of the Test and Inspection division within Nordson’s Advanced Technology Solutions segment.

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