As Image Sensor blogger from Japan noticed, IEDM 2009 program has an interesting paper showing unstoppable Sony push to ever smaller pixels:
0.9um Pitch Pixel CMOS Image Sensor Design Methodology
K. Itonaga, K. Mizuta, T. Kataoka, M. Yanagita, S. Yamauchi, H. Ikeda, T. Haruta, S. Matsumoto, M. Harasawa, T. Matsuda, A. Matsumoto, I. Mizuno, T. Kameshima, I. Sugiura, T. Umebayashi, K. Ohno, T. Hirayama, Sony Corporation
"We proposed the constant-light-diffraction-scaling methodology in order to design the CMOS image sensor(CIS). We developed a high performance guideline, and verified it using CISs with various pixel pitches and number of metal wiring layers. Using this guideline, we realized the first ever successful fabrication of 1.12 and 0.9um pitch CISs."
1.12µm pixel pitch : why 20nm precision ? Design rules ?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good question to ask at the conference. My guess is that it's a quick fix of some last moment problem.
ReplyDeleteIt can also be the result of some shrinking action of an existing pixel orignally designed in another technology.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand it is scary to see that only 1 (= ONE) paper on imagers will be presented at IEDM (besides a retinal prothesis) .....
A.T.
Agreed. There is no "image sensor" session this year!
ReplyDeleteProbably the effect of IISW and Special Issue of TED coming out in Nov.
ReplyDeleteAlso competition is kind of tough so companies are clamping down on publication of leading edge work.
Or, another explanation is that ISSCC is drawing papers that might otherwise go to IEDM.
Do we know the image sensor paper count at ISSCC yet, Albert?
1.1um sensors are out in the wild, problem is its only a sensor. There isn't much choice in the optics to resolve such a fine pitch.
ReplyDeleteOptics that don't resolve to the sensor resolution has never stopped sensors from shipping in the past.
ReplyDeleteTo Eric : the number of imager papers submitted for ISSCC is not yet known, a matter of waiting just a few days more.
ReplyDeleteA.T.