Photodiode process powers CMOS image sensors

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Aug 10, 2006

Tower's APD advanced photodiode process powers a new series of CMOS image sensors from Biomorphic Microsystems Corporation.

Tower's APD advanced photodiode process powers a new series of CMOS image sensors from Biomorphic Microsystems Corporation, a supplier of innovative imaging solutions for the cellphone and PDA markets.

Tower's APD process enables improved optical and electrical performance of ultrasmall pixels using deep submicron process technologies, thus enabling the manufacture of small, cost-effective camera module solutions.

Manufactured at Tower's Fab2 in 0.18-micron technology, the products use Tower's pixel IP and the company's optically optimised multilayer metallisation (OptiMuM), which achieves dramatically better optical sensitivity by reducing stack height from silicon to microlens.

Designed to fit the stringent requirements from one of the six leading global cellphone manufacturers, these new products provide an excellent solution to the increasing demand for higher image quality on small mobile handsets.

The APD process enables reduction of dark current and temporal noise and thus allows perfect images at low light conditions.

Japanese market research firm Techno Systems Research (TSR) estimates the 2008 total market for 3.0 and 2.0Mpixel CMOS modules to be 50% of the total units, around 300 million units.

Biomorphic's new series of CMOS image sensors include: a 3.0Mpixel sensor using 2.8um pixels; a 2.0Mpixel sensor using 3.2um pixels; and a VGA sensor using 3.6um pixels.

"The race to shrink pixel and camera module sises without degrading performance requires intensive R and D work with a foundry partner", said Dr Bimal Mathur, Senior Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of Biomorphic Microsystems.

"Tower's expertise in image sensors and its APD technology gave us a complete solution for optimised pixel performance".

"We are proud that our APD technology was implemented by Biomorphic in cutting-edge CMOS image sensor products used for mobile applications in mass production", said Dr Avi Strum, General Manager of CIS and NVM product line at Tower.

"Biomorphic's presence in this fast growing market and their continued design wins with a tier one cellphone maker strengthens our confidence in the partnership and technology development paths we took".