Foveon X3 sensor update

 

 

Source: https://photorumors.com/2025/10/24/the-latest-updates-on-the-sigma-foveon-x3-sensor-with-111-technology/ 

Some updates from Foveon in a new video interview posted on YouTube:

• Sigma is “still working on the development of the sensor” [17:00].
• Current status: The project is still in the “technology development” stage [17:11]. They have not yet started the design of the actual, final sensor [17:11].
• Focus: The team is currently working on the “design of the pixel architecture” [17:20].
• Delays: The project has been “a little bit delayed” [17:30] because as they test prototype wafers, they encounter “technical issues” [17:53].
• Development team: The sensor development is now being handled primarily by the Sigma Japan engineering team [18:02].
• Path forward: Mr. Yamaki mentions that the technical problems “have been narrowing down” [18:12]. Once the team is confident that the technology is ready, they will start the final sensor design and move toward production [18:23]. 

Paper on flexible SWIR detector

Zhang et al from the National University of Singapore published a paper titled "Flexible InGaAs/InAlAs avalanche photodiodes for short-wave infrared detection" in Nature Communications. 

Open access link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-64401-2

Abstract: 

Flexible detectors have gained growing research interest due to their promising applications in optical sensing and imaging systems with a broad field-of-view. However, most research have focused on conventional photodiodes of which the responsivity are limited at short-wave infrared due to the absence of internal multiplication gain. Here we have realized and demonstrated flexible thin-film InGaAs/InAlAs avalanche photodiodes on a mica substrate for short-wave infrared detection. This achievement was made possible by the development and implementation of a low-temperature bonding and well-optimized fabrication process. Our devices exhibit promising characteristics, including low dark current, good responsivity, and high multiplication gain. Even when subjected to bending conditions, the avalanche photodiodes maintain their general performance. The advent of such flexible InGaAs avalanche photodiodes with reliable and promising performance enables a significantly broader range of potential applications.

a The schematics of the proposed flexible InGaAs APD chip. b The schematic of the InGaAs/InAlAs APD featuring a separate-absorption-grading-charge-multiplication structure with a metal layer served as bottom metal contact and a reflector. c Optical image of the fabricated flexible APDs under test.

a Comparison of the Jdark–V curves under flat and bent conditions where the bending radius range from 5 to 1 cm. b Comparison of the Jtotal–V characteristics with the incident power of −39.6 dBm at the same bending radius. c Comparison of the dark current at 95% of Vbr at the same bending conditions. d Comparison of the breakdown voltage at the same bending conditions. e Comparison of the responsivity at unity gain at 1550 nm at the same bending conditions. f The multiplication gain at 95% of Vbr. The J–V curves show no significant changes at all flat and bent conditions.

33rd IS&T Color and Imaging Conference Oct 27-31

https://imaging.org/IST/Conferences/CIC/CIC2025/CIC_Home.aspx

The 33rd Color and Imaging Conference will be held in Hong Kong—Monday 27 - Friday 31 October 2025—for the first time in Asia.

The CIC33 is organized around the following topics.

Color Perception and Cognition

Capture and Reproduction

Material and Color Appearance

Color in Illumination and Lighting

Color Theory

Image Quality

Multispectral Imaging

Specific Color Applications

Color in Computer Graphics

Color in Computer Vision

Motion Picture Imaging Pipeline 

Program Highlights 

KEYNOTE TALKS – Start Each Day Inspired

Oct 29

Mingxue Wang, Huawei Technologies

“Recent Development and Challenges of Smartphone Digital Imaging”

Oct 30

Shoji Tominaga, NTNU

“Colorimetry and Image Reproduction of Fluorescent Objects”

Oct 31

Hyeon-Jeong Suk, KAIST

“Skin Color in Culture and Technology”

EVENING TALK – Oct 29

Michael Freeman, Award-winning Photographer

“The Aesthetics of Imagery from the Real World”

Courses and Workshops

New Courses

SC01 Color Science Research and Application (Ronnier Luo and Minchen (Tommy) Wei)

SC02 Multimodal AI Essentials: Language, Vision, and Technical Use Cases (Orange Gao, Shida Yu, and Nanqi Gong, Amazon)

SC10 Camera Phone Image Quality (Jonathan B. Phillips)

SC12 Human Color Vision and Visual Processing and the Effects of Individual Differences (Andrew Stockman)

SC14 Color Grading for Photographers: From Perception to Practice (Marianna Santoni)

SC15 High Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging: Capture, Standards, Display, and Color Management (Nicolas Bonnier, Paul Hubel, and Luke Wallis)

Hands-on Courses

SC02 Multimodal Al Essentials: Language, Vision, and Technical Use Cases (Orange Gao)

SC10 Camera Phone Image Quality (Jonathan B. Phillips)

SC11 Underwater Colorimetry (Derya Akkaynak)

Workshops

W1: Display Color Consistency and Individual Differences in Color Sensitivity (Francisco Imai and Shahram Peyvandi, convenors)

W2: Facial Appearance Measurement, Perception, and Applications (Yan Lu, convenor)

W3: New ICC Features in Real World Applications (Max Derhak, convenor)

W4: AR/MR/VR Color Perception and Rendering (Jiangtao Kuang and Kaida Xiao, convenors)

ST's new sensors for industrial automation, security, retail

https://newsroom.st.com/media-center/press-item.html/p4728.html

STMicroelectronics introduces a new family of 5MP CMOS image sensors: VD1943, VB1943, VD5943, and VB5943.

- Four new 5MP image sensors allow customers to optimize image capture with high speed, high detail with a single, flexible product instead of two chips

- New device family is ideal for high-speed automated manufacturing processes and object tracking

- New sensors leverage market-leading technology for both global and rolling shutter modes, with a compact 2.25µm pixel with advanced 3D stacking, and on-chip RGB-IR separation

Dual global and rolling shutter modes

The sensors provide hybrid global and rolling shutter modes, allowing developers to optimize image capture for specific application requirements. This functionality ensures motion-artifact-free video capture (global shutter) and low-noise, high-detail imaging (rolling shutter), making it ideal for high-speed object tracking and automated manufacturing processes.

Compact design with advanced pixel technology

Using 2.25 µm pixel technology and advanced 3D stacking, the sensors deliver high image quality in a smaller footprint. The die size is 5.76 mm by 4.46 mm, with a package size of 10.3 mm by 8.9 mm, and an industry-leading 73%-pixel array-to-die surface ratio. This compact design enables integration into space-constrained embedded vision systems without compromising performance.

On-chip RGB-IR separation

The RGB-IR variants of the sensors feature on-chip RGB-IR separation, eliminating the need for additional components and simplifying system design. This capability supports multiple output patterns, including 5MP RGB-NIR 4×4, 5MP RGB Bayer, 1.27MP NIR subsampling, and 5MP NIR smart upscale, with independent exposure times and instant output pattern switching. This integration reduces costs while maintaining full 5MP resolution for both color and infrared imaging.

[Video] Owl Thermal Imaging for Safer Streets

 

 

 Smarter Cameras Imply Safer Streets? | Interview with Wade Appelman, Owl Autonomous Imaging 

 Pedestrian deaths at night are rising around the world — and traditional car sensors aren't enough to stop them. In this eye-opening interview, we speak with Wade Appelman, Chief Business Officer at Owl Autonomous Imaging, about how thermal imaging and AI are working together to change that.

We explore:

•     Why pedestrian safety at night is now a global concern
•     How thermal cameras and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) work in real-time to detect people in low light
•     How these smart systems integrate with vehicle software using ROS
•     The technology behind monocular vision and its use in autonomous driving
•     How advanced camera sensors are built — from microbolometers to full-scale production
•     Real-world testing results from Detroit and Las Vegas that show how thermal vision outperforms lidar, radar, and regular RGB cameras

Single-Photon Challenge image reconstruction competition is now open!

The Single-Photon Challenge announced yesterday (Oct 19) at ICCV 2025 is a first-of-its-kind benchmark and open competition for photon-level imaging and reconstruction.

The competition is now open! The submission deadline is April 1, 2026 (AOE) and winners will be announced in summer 2026. 

The challenge provides access to single-photon datasets and a public leaderboard to benchmark algorithms for photon-efficient vision: https://SinglePhotonChallenge.com

For this image reconstruction challenge you will need to come up with a novel and creative ways to transform many single-photon camera frames into a single high quality image. This setting is very similar to traditional burst imaging but taken to its extreme limit. Instead of a few burst images you have access to a thousand, but the catch is that each input frame is extremely noisy.  

There are thousands of dollars in prizes to win, thanks to the sponsors Ubicept and Singular Photonics.

Samsung announces 0.5um pixel

https://semiconductor.samsung.com/image-sensor/mobile-image-sensor/isocell-hp5/

Specifications:

Effective Resolution
 16,384 x 12,288 (200MP) 
Pixel Size
 0.5 μm 
Optical Format
 1/1.56" 
Color Filter
 Tetra²pixel RGB Bayer Pattern 
Normal Frame Rate
 7.5 fps @full, 30 fps @50MP, 90 fps @12.5MP 
Video Frame Rate
 30 fps @8K, 120 fps @4K, 480 fps @FHD (w/o AF) 
Shutter Type
 Electronic rolling shutter 
ADC Accuracy
 10-bit 
Supply Voltage
 2.2 V for analog, 1.8 V for I/O, 1.0 V for digital core supply 
Operating Temperature
 -20℃ to +85℃ 
Interface
 4 lanes (4.5 Gbps per lane) D-PHY / 3 trios (4 Gsps per trio) C-PHY 
Chroma
 Tetra²pixel 
Autofocus
 Super QPD (PDAF) 
HDR
 Smart-ISO Pro (iDCG), Staggered HDR 
Output Formats
 RAW8, RAW10, RAW12, RAW14 
Analog Gain
 16x @full, 256x @12.5MP

Excerpt from Baidu news (translated with Google translate): 

Samsung releases ISOCELL HP5, the world's first 0.5µm ultra-fine pixel 200 million image sensor

...  Samsung officially released the new 200-megapixel image sensor ISOCELL HP5, which is expected to be the first telephoto camera of the OPPO Find X9 Pro mobile phone.

... ISOCELL HP5 sensor is 1/1.56 inches in size, has an ultra-high resolution of 16384 x 12288, and compresses the unit pixel size to 0.5 microns. It is Samsung's first 200 million image sensor in the world equipped with 0.5µm ultra-micro pixels.

To overcome the challenges posed by small pixels, ISOCELL HP5 integrates multiple cutting-edge technologies. Among them, dual vertical transfer gate (D-VTG) and front deep trench isolation (FDTI) technologies work together to effectively increase the full well capacity of each pixel, or its ability to accommodate light signals. 

Tower Semiconductor preprint on 2.2um global shutter pixel

Yokoyama et al. from Tower Semiconductor have posted a preprint titled "Charge Domain Type 2.2um BSI Global Shutter Pixel with Dual Depth DTI Produced by Thick-Film Epitaxial Process":

Abstract: We developed a 2.2um Backside Illuminated (BSI) Global Shutter (GS) pixel with true charge-domain Correlated Double Sampling (CDS). A thick-film epitaxial deep DTI (Deep Trench Isolation) process was implemented to enhance 1/PLS (Parasitic Light Sensitivity) using a dual depth DTI structure.
The thickness of the epitaxial substrate was 8.5 um. This structure was designed using optical simulation. By using a thick epitaxial substrate, it is possible to reduce the amount of light that reaches the memory node. Dual-depth DTI, which shallows the DTI depth on the readout side, makes it possible to read signals from the PD to the memory node smoothly. To achieve this structure, we developed a process for thick epitaxial substrate, and the dual-depth DTI can be fabricated with a single mask. This newly developed pixel represents the smallest ever charge-domain GS pixel to date. Despite its compact size, this pixel achieved high QE (83%) and 1/PLS of over 10,000. The pixel maintains 80% of its peak QE at ±15 degrees. 1/PLS is stable even when the F# is small.

Full paper: https://sciprofiles.com/publication/view/7ae02d55ce8f3721ebfc8c35fb871d97 

Conference List - April 2026

IEEE 23rd International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging - 8-11 April 2026 - London, UK - Website

SPIE Photonics Europe - 12-16 April 2026 - Strasbourg, France - Website

IEEE Silicon Photonics Conference - 13-15 April 2026 - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - Website

IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference - 19-22 April 2026 - Seattle, Washington, USA - Website

Compound Semiconductor International Conference - 20-22 April 2026 - Brussels. Belgium - Website

SPIE Defense + Security - 26-30 April 2026 - National Harbor, Maryland, USA - Website

If you know about additional local conferences, please add them as comments.

Return to Conference List index

Billion-pixel-resolution microscopy of curved surfaces

Recent Optical news article covers a publication by Yang et al. which presents a new technique for capturing high resolution microscopy images of curved surfaces. 

X. Yang, H. Chen, L. Kreiss, C.B. Cook, G. Kuczewski, M. Harfouche, M.O. Bohlen, R. Horstmeyer, “Curvature-adaptive gigapixel microscopy at submicron resolution and centimeter scale,” Opt. Lett., 50, 5977-5980 (2025).

DOI: 10.1364/OL.572466

New microscope captures large, high-resolution images of curved samples in single snapshot

Innovation promises faster insights for biology, medicine and industrial applications

Researchers have developed a new type of microscope that can acquire extremely large, high-resolution pictures of non-flat objects in a single snapshot. This innovation could speed up research and medical diagnostics or be useful in quality inspection applications.

“Although traditional microscopes assume the sample is perfectly flat, real-life samples such as tissue sections, plant samples or flexible materials may be curved, tilted or uneven,” said research team leader Roarke Horstmeyer from Duke University. “With our approach, it’s possible to adjust the focus across the sample, so that everything remains in focus even if the sample surface isn’t flat, while avoiding slow scanning or expensive special lenses.”

In the Optica Publishing Group journal Optics Letters, the researchers show that the microscope, which they call PANORAMA, can capture submicron details — 1/60 to 1/120 the diameter of a human hair — across an area roughly the size of a U.S. dime without moving the sample. It produces a detailed gigapixel-scale image, which has 10 to 50 times more pixels than the average smartphone camera image.

“This tool can be used wherever large-area, detailed imaging is needed. For instance, in medical pathology, it could scan entire tissue slides, such as those from a biopsy, at cellular resolution almost instantly,” said Haitao Chen, a doctoral student in Horstmeyer’s lab. “In materials science or industrial inspection, it could quickly inspect large surfaces such as a chip wafer at high detail.”

Full article here: https://www.optica.org/about/newsroom/news_releases/2025/new_microscope_captures_large_high-resolution_images_of_curved_samples_in_single_snapshot/