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TSMC patent application US20150311248 "Back side illuminated image sensor with deep trench isolation structures and self-aligned color filters" by Kuo-cheng Lee, Yun-wei Cheng, Yung-lung Hsu, and Hsin-chi Chen proposes its own way to manufacture pixels with DTI and buried CFA:

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Rice University team is to present a paper "FlatCam: Replacing Lenses with Masks and Computation" at the Extreme Imaging Workshop in Santiago, Chile on Dec. 17, 2015. The research paper is written by M. Salman Asif, Ali Ayremlou, Ashok Veeraraghavan, Richard Baraniuk, and Aswin Sankaranarayanan (CMU) and proposes an imaging system with no lens, somewhat similar to Rambus Lensless Smart Sensors (LSS).

"Our FlatCam design places an amplitude mask (with transparent and opaque features that transmit and block light, respectively) almost immediately in front of the sensor array (see Fig. 1). While we focus on a single mask for
exposition purposes, the concept extends to multiple amplitude masks in a straightforward manner. ...the main advantage of the FlatCam design is that it allows us to use a large sensor arrays for a given device thickness constraint, thereby significantly increasing the light collection capabilities of devices under thickness constraints.

...We reconstructed 512 × 512 RGB images from our prototype using 512 × 512 RGB sensor measurements."

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PRNewswire: OmniVision announces two 5MP image sensors, the OV5675 and OV5695 for front-facing camera applications in smartphones and tablets.

"Front-facing cameras in smartphones and tablets have evolved quickly from low-resolution sensors with limited functionality and relatively low consumer expectations to high performance sensors with a host of advanced features," said Archie de Guzman, senior product marketing manager at OmniVision. "In this regard, we have developed the OV5675 and OV5695 as cost-effective upgrade solutions that can capture more dynamic and detailed images and video, via improved resolution and pixel performance."

Built on 1.12um PureCel pixel, the 1/5-inch OV5675 is said to be the smallest 5MP image sensor currently available on the market today. The sensor captures full resolution video in a native 4:3 aspect ratio at 30fps, or 720p and 1080p video at 60 FPS. Compared to previous generation image sensors, the OV5675 offers improved QE, crosstalk, and power efficiency in a compact package with a z-height of less than 4 mm.

The 1/4-inch OV5695 utilizes 1.4-micron OmniBSI+™ pixel to capture full resolution video in a native 4:3 aspect ratio at 30fps, 1080p video at 30fps, or 720p video at 60fps with support for interlaced HDR (iHDR). The OV5695 supports low power mode, which further reduces power consumption and improves battery life.

The OV5675 and OV5695 are expected to be shipping in volume production at the end of Q4 2015.

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Wainhouse Research reports that Cisco decided to shut down its video conferencing camera team in India: "Bangalore center has demonstrated core competencies in system architecture and design and a host of ancillary hardware, software, and microcode skills on the way to delivering five cameras, an H.265 codec, and one integrated video conferencing endpoint (the SX-10) since 2008. The group grew to around 50 people, but the shutdown announced last week involves termination of approximately 35 technical folks, according to our source." Here is the short presentation on the team's history and achievements:

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SeekingAlpha: Tessera, the new home for Ziptronix wafer bonding technology, updates on the ongoing lawsuit against Omnivision and TSMC: "in connection with our acquisition of the Ziptronix, we inherited a litigation matter that was already pending at the time of the acquisition between Ziptronix on the one hand and TSMC and Omnivision technologies or OVT on the other. Ziptronix filed this case in December 2010 in federal court in the urban district of California, alleging at TSMC and OVT infringed nine of Ziptronix zibond patents. TSMC also asserted counterclaims alleging that Ziptronix infringes certain TSMC patents. There is no trial date set in the case, the party have been engaging in mediation discussion before the acquisition and after and are planning to continue do engage in such discussions.

As we have demonstrated numerous times over the past two years, our intent is to reach a settlement that enable a closer technical working relationship and collaboration between the companies."

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EETimes publishes a nice history of camera phone, from the first one in 1995 to nowadays, and how it changed the imaging.

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BusinessWire: Heptagon introduces LAURA ToF 3DRanger sensor and the first member in a new family of scalable ToF sensor modules. Laura is said to be "the first smart sensor with integrated logic that simplifies system architecture and speeds up time to market. The new product provides longer range, faster distance measurements, lower power draw and improved lighting performance than existing laser based distance sensors." Unlike phase detecting AF systems, LAURA is said to enable fast AF focus lock in any lighting conditions including in video mode. Heptagon has developed its patented “phase modulation” ToF pixel said to have best-in-class sensitivity and speed, as well as excellent background light rejection.

“We’re delighted to be launching LAURA, the first member in our new family of ToF smart sensors,” says René Kromhof - SVP, Sales & Marketing of Heptagon. “LAURA is a complete ToF sensing solution that delivers automatic range calculations. It integrates an IR illuminator, IR sensor and a micro controller in a single package. This significantly lowers host CPU computations and simplifies usage. In addition, it enables integrated features like automatic exposure time adjustment that improves use in all lighting conditions.”

LAURA comes in a small, thermally efficient SMD package with embedded filters to allow for lower-cost cover glass designs.

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IRLYNX, the CMOS-based infrared sensors company, has completed a €2M Series A round of financing. This investment will help IRLYNX accelerate and broaden product development, start the industrialization phase as well as expand its sales and marketing efforts. IRLYNX’s first product is an innovative sensor able to detect human activity, like true human presence and absence, counting, localization, movement analysis. With this €2M series A funding, IRLYNX will be able deliver to its customers its first development kits and new generation sensors at the end of this year.

Sébastien FABRE, IRLYNX CEO, says: “IRLYNX’s offering is well-timed with the increasing demand for solutions that can increase the level of information at an affordable price. This fundraising will accelerate our strategic plan, especially our time-to-market. We welcome DEMETER, PHITRUST and the others investors. For 18 months, we have been developing our savoir-faire and are recognized as experts in infrared sensors. Additionally supported by BPI France, we believe the company will continue to develop powerful infrared sensing solutions to fulfil new market requirements."

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Sony announces 5.1MP, 2/3-inch IMX264LLR/LQR and 3.2MP, 1/1.8-inch IMX265LLR/LQR sensors featuring 3.45um global shutter pixels. "This small-sized 3.45 μm pixel realizes higher sensitivity and lower noise than that of the existing 5.86 μm pixel products, and achieves high picture quality, high resolution and high-speed imaging without focal plane distortion... high-sensitivity pixel design technology and condensing process technology were used to increase the sensitivity of the newly developed 3.45 μm pixel, and realized high sensitivity exceeding that of the existing 5.86 μm product (1.1 times compared to the existing 5.86 μm product)"

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IMEC publishes an October update of its presentation on hyperspectral imaging:

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Forbes reports that Magic Leap, a Florida-based AR startup, is aiming to secure another round of funding of $1bn at the valuation of $4.5b. So far, the new company has not presented its products, but filed for 153 patents, mostly on display technology.

Like any other AR setup, Magic Leap should use a number of cameras to create a map of surrounding area where it embeds its virtual objects. The company's recent Youtube video is said to be "Shot directly through Magic Leap technology on 10/14/15, without the use of special effects or compositing."

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Some recent Qualcomm Snapdragon processors have dual ISPs so that manufacturers can add two cameras onto the back of their smartphones, one for each ISP. Qualcomm publishes a promotional video on its dual camera support:

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EETimes, Phys.org: University of Utah Electrical and Computer Engineering Associate Professor Rajesh Menon has developed a new camera color filter that is said to let in three times more light than Bayer CFA. The new approach is described in an open-access paper in OSA Optica Vol. 2, Issue 11, pp. 933-939 (2015): "Ultra-high-sensitivity color imaging via a transparent diffractive-filter array and computational optics" by Peng Wang and Rajesh Menon.

“If you think about it, this [Bayer CFA] is a very inefficient way to get color because you’re absorbing two thirds of the light coming in,” Menon says. “But this is how it’s been done since the 1970s. So for the last 40 years, not much has changed in this technology.”

Menon’s solution is to use a color filter that lets all light pass through to the camera sensor. He does this with a combination of software and hardware. It is a wafer of glass that has precisely-designed microscopic ridges etched on one side that bends the light in certain ways as it passes through and creates a series of color patterns or codes. Software then reads the codes to determine what colors they are.

Instead of just reading three colors, this new filter produces at least 25 new codes or colors that pass through the filter to reach the camera’s sensor, producing photos that are much more accurate and with nearly no digital grain.

“You get a lot more color information than a normal color camera. With a normal camera, you only see red, green or blue. We can do 25 or more,” Menon says. “It’s not only better under lowlight conditions but it’s a more accurate representation of color.” Ultimately, the new filter also can be cheaper to implement in the manufacturing process because it is simpler to build as opposed to current filters, which require three steps to produce a filter that reads red, blue and green light, Menon says.


Talking about small pixel results, the paper says: "As anticipated, the DFA, together with the regularization algorithm, works well for the 1.67μm sensor pixel except at the boundaries of abrupt color change, where crosstalk smears color accuracy. Scalar diffraction calculation estimates the lateral spread of the crosstalk (or spatial resolution) to be ∼13μm. This is approximately three image pixels in our configuration, since one DFA unit cell is 5μm×5μm.

However, in the areas of uniform color (areas #4 and 5), our reconstructions demonstrate negligible distortion and noise. The absolute error between reconstruction and true images averaged over the entire image space is well below 5%. For this object of 404×404 image pixels, it takes roughly 30s to complete reconstruction by regularization without implementing any parallel computation techniques on a Lenovo W540 laptop (Intel i7-4700MQ CPU at 2.40 GHz and 16.0 GB RAM) for simplicity."

Menon has since created a company, Lumos Imaging, to commercialize the new filter for use in smartphones and is now negotiating with several large electronics and camera companies to bring this technology to market. He says the first commercial products that use this filter could be out in three years.

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Mediatek Youtube technology presentation talks about its new next generation Imagiq ISP supporting the dual camera and depth mapping features, starting from time 13:15.

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ON Semi publishes its Q3 2015 earnings report. One can see that the image sensor business takes incrementally larger fraction of the total:


The company management says: "Revenue for our Image Sensor Group was approximately $189 million, up approximately 9 percent over the second quarter. ...Demand remains strong for our image sensor solutions driven by the increased adoption of rearview cameras and ADAS Safety Systems. ... During the third quarter, we secured design wins for our VGA Image Sensor to support the 2018 United States mandate for Rear View Cameras.

...a leading customer in the action sports camera market launched three new cameras using our image sensors.

...In the security market, sales of our image sensors grew by more than 20% quarter over quarter. We also saw strength in other industrial sub-segments, such as in machine vision for our CMOS and CCD image sensors."

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Toshiba PR on image sensor business withdrawal officially reveals its CIS sales data: "The CMOS sensor business, a part of System LSI business, recorded sales on the scale of approximately 30-billion yen (consolidated basis) in FY2014."

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PRNewswire: OmniVision announced the OV2718, a an 1080p30 CameraChip sensor for security cameras. The 1/3-inch OV2718 leverages OmniBSI-2 pixel and is said to deliver best-in-class low-light sensitivity. The 1/3-inch OV2718 can record 1080p30 video in HDR mode.

"Industry analysts predict a strong demand for image sensors with high quality 1080p HD video recording capabilities in mainstream commercial security systems. The OV2718, a sensor that offers such capabilities in a standard 1/3-inch format widely adopted in the industry, is designed to directly address that demand," said Chris Yiu, senior strategic marketing manager at OmniVision. "The OV2718 delivers best-in-class low-light sensitivity for 1080p security cameras. This sensitivity, paired with OmniVision's HDR technology, enables excellent scene reproduction even in challenging lighting conditions, which is essential for surveillance cameras."

The OV2718 is currently sampling, and is expected to enter volume production by the end of 2015.

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Yole Developpement continues to publish snippets of info from its 2015 Camera Module Industry report:

• The Compact Camera Module (CCM) market will more than double in the next five years, reaching $51B by 2020.
• Thanks to explosive growth, automotive will soon be the second-largest application.
• The CCM industry is quickly adapting to changing market needs.
• Critical technology shifts (3D, Computional, Motion, Infrared) are ahead of us, with the camera module ultimately becoming the hub for multi-sensing.

"Access to technology is key in the CCM industry. At the image sensor level, access to Sony’s state-of-the-art 3D stacked sensors is a prerequisite for high-end, high-resolution modules. The integration of Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF) is another key technology feature. Most CMOS Image Sensors (CIS) vendors are quickly closing the technology gap with Sony, but as the investments get larger and larger only the biggest companies will be able to compete.

One key on-going technology shift for high-end CCM is the integration of Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) functionality. This critical feature is mainly provided by Korean and Japanese Voice Coil Motors (VCM) manufacturers. The high demand for VCM technology means stronger negotiating power for players with access to it."

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SeekingAlpha publishes the transcript of STMicro Q3 2015 earnings call. The CEO Carlo Bozotti says: "Digital Product Group revenues totaled $230 million, an increase of $23 million on a sequential basis, driven by Imaging. In our specialized imaging business, we continued to expand our Time-of-Flight photonic sensors business in Asia, with now more than 20 phone models available from several leading Asian smartphone manufacturers. ...unfortunately I cannot give you too many details because it is a very important line for us. And I would – what I can say is that, there is a good momentum. It's a new area and I think it's a good opportunity for the future."

"Imaging, as you know, we have already decided that we are out now. This is another, let's say, actions that we took here is to exit from the commodity camera module and in Q4, basically, the sales zero. Here, it's very special products for imaging with a lot of potential. So, this is an important area for us."

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Sony reports its quarterly results: "In the Devices segment, sales increased significantly mainly due to an increase in sales of image sensors for mobile devices and the impact of foreign exchange rates."

However, the Devices business forecast for the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2016 has been adjusted down: "Sales are expected to be lower than the July forecast mainly due to a decrease in sales of lithium-ion polymer batteries and the impact of a temporary decrease in image sensor production due to a production equipment problem. Although this production equipment problem has been remedied, sales are expected to decrease in the second half of the current fiscal year as well. The forecast for operating income remains unchanged from the July forecast mainly due to the above-mentioned decrease in sales being offset mainly by an increase in productivity and yield in the image sensor business as well as a reduction in costs."

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Sony STARVIS page presents its progress in sensitivity improvements over the years:


The company's STARVIS 2015 short catalog lists 4 image sensor products under this name.

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PRNewswire: OmniVision announces mass production of OV10823, a 4K, 30fps video sensor for security and surveillance systems, first announced in April 2015. The 1/2.6-inch CameraChip sensor utilizes 1.4um OmniBSI-2 pixel.

"In terms of image processing, bandwidth, and playback capabilities, we view the security market as ready to take the leap into ultra-high resolution 4K video. Up to this point, a critical missing component has been a high performance image sensor that can deliver the required image quality and video specifications. The OV10823 is designed to provide exactly that capability," said Chris Yiu, senior product marketing manager at OmniVision. "The OV10823 is a no-compromise image sensor that can bring exceptional image quality. In conjunction with our partners' 'intelligent' algorithms, this new sensor can form a key part of new security systems with advanced features such as video analytics and automatic detection and tracking."

The OV10823 offers a zero-degree CRA and CSP package. The sensor is currently in volume production.

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BusinessWire: X-FAB Silicon Foundries introduces XS018, said to be the first specialized 0.18µm CMOS process for fast and large image sensor pixels. Unlike the 4T pixels used in consumer products such as mobile phones and digital cameras, which have small sizes, the new XS018 technology is said to be the first to support high-speed large pixels required for medical and scientific applications such as computer tomography and x-ray scanners for 3D images. The XS018 process supports pixel sizes up to 200µm x 200µm with high-speed reading capability. The charge transfer time can be as short as 20ns with almost no image lag. The low dark current of less than 5pA/cm² gives designers a high SNR that allows high DR designs.

XS018 has a 3.3V core that results in a very low mask count, reducing cost if 1.8V devices are not necessary. Optionally, it can be extended for higher integration by using a 1.8V module.

The new 4T pixel cells with pinned photo diodes offer lower dark current and lower noise than the 3T cells commonly used today for large pixel designs. The pinned photo diode available with four different pinning voltages and a 3.3V n-channel MOS transistor with five different options for low-threshold voltages can be used as a SF, RST device or row SEL device in the pixel. This flexibility allows for higher voltage swing as the SF, and higher floating diffusion voltage as the RST device, diminishing image lag and increasing transfer speed. The XS018 also offers a 3.3V low-noise buried n-channel transistor that can reduce pixel noise.

According to Detlef Sommer, Business Line Manager CMOS Sensors at X-FAB, “Our customers in the medical and scientific sectors require large pixels and often large dies to handle the high-speed optical sensing their applications demand. We are pleased to meet this need with our new XS018 CMOS image sensor process – the first to support 4-transistor large pixel designs. In addition, our proven stitching process supports large dies – up to one die per wafer – giving our customers a clear edge for their advanced designs.”

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Sony and Toshiba announce that they have entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding that confirms their intent to negotiate the transfer to Sony of certain Toshiba semiconductor fabrication facilities, equipment and related assets in Oita Prefecture, and also other related equipment and assets.

The parties intend to transfer fabrication facilities, equipment and related assets of Toshiba's 300mm wafer production line, mainly located at its Oita Operations. Following the transfer, Sony plans to operate the site as a production facility of Sony Semiconductor, primarily for manufacturing CMOS image sensors.

Negotiations between the parties are proceeding with a view to Toshiba outsourcing production of the semiconductor products Toshiba currently manufactures on its 300mm wafer production line to Sony Semiconductor following the transfer.

The parties also are planning to make arrangements to offer the employees of Toshiba and its affiliates, employed at the manufacturing facilities to be transferred, as well as those involved in areas such as CMOS image sensor engineering and design (approximately 1,100 employees in total), employment within the Sony Group, upon the completion of the transfer.

This acquisition will enable Sony to increase its CMOS sensors production capabilities, where further market growth is anticipated.

Withdrawing from the CMOS image sensors business will allow Toshiba to devote its resources to other products where it has a high technological advantage.

After due diligence on the semiconductor fabrication facilities, equipment and related assets to be transferred, Sony and Toshiba aim to execute legally binding definitive agreements by the end of calendar year 2015. Thereafter, Toshiba and Sony aim to complete the transfer within the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016, subject to regulatory approvals.

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Light Co. publishes almost an hour-long Vimeo video of its CTO Rajiv Laroia talking about the technology behind their multi-imager camera L16:

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GlobeNewsWire: PARC, a Xerox company, develops "a hyperspectral imaging technology with the potential to be integrated into just about any existing imaging system. The technology demands a minimal cost and size overhead as it relies on a liquid crystal layer about as thick as a human hair."

"The PARC HSI technology endows any existing image sensor with spectral sensitivity without significantly increasing its cost or size. By sandwiching a liquid crystal layer between crossed polarizers and synchronizing the
drive of the liquid crystal with the camera’s image acquisition, the system performs interferometry between two polarizations of light that travel through the liquid crystal. The interferometric data are analyzed to provide the spectral information. Because the complexity of the device is shifted from hardware to software, the sophistication of full spectral processing is within reach anywhere images are normally taken."

PARC has prototyped its HSI technology by integrating a liquid crystal cell inside a commercial monochrome CMOS camera. The prototype offers the following performance:

• 640 x 480 spatial resolution
• Up to 80 degree field of view
• Acquires 30 independent spectral bands in 0.4 seconds
• Wavelength range 400 nm to 1100 nm
• F/1.8 max aperture

An open-access PARC paper "Hyperspectral imaging with a liquid crystal polarization interferometer" by Alex Hegyi and Joerg Martini is published in Optics Express, Issue 22, Vol 23.

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Nikkei reports that Toshiba may transfer up to 1,100 employees, or about 40%, at its fab in Oita to Sony in conjunction with the image sensor business sale. The companies are discussing the employees transfer in late-stage negotiations on the deal.

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Sony publishes a promotional video of its STARVIS BSI image sensor for security applications, said to excel in color night vision in starlight:




It's interesting to compare it with SPI Infrared Corp.'s X27 sensor videos, such as this one:

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