CMOSIS announced NIR-enhanced versions of its 2.2MP CMV2000 and 4MP CMV4000 sensors. Both sensors are based on 5.5um pixels processed on 12um epi wafers. The thicker epi improves 900nm QE from 8% in the standard sensors to 18% in the NIR-enhanced one.
CMV2000 and CMV4000 E12 devices are available in sample quantities.
According to 2009 Strategies Unlimited presentation, such specialty sensors represent a nice chunk of the market, especially in revenue numbers:
what means exactly NIT-enhanced CMOS sensor ?
ReplyDeleteall the CMOS sensor has useful sensitivity in NOR range.
Well, CMOSIS says that IR QE has been improved in this new version of this sensors, as compared with the standard version.
ReplyDeletewhat is the usage for such NIR-enhanced response ?
ReplyDeleteNear Infra-Red is a useful part of the spectrum in applications such as security, automotive, night vision, inspection and distance measurements. Imagers intended for imaging of the visible spectrum try to avoid near-IR sensitivity because it limits the contrast or MTF (especially with small pixels). That is the reason why consumer devices are being fabricated on thin epi-material (just a few um). But the near-IR can be enhanced by choosing a thicker epi-layer. Apparently that is what is being done by CMOSIS.
ReplyDeleteThanks AT !
ReplyDeleteBut in this case, the NIR enhancement will come only from the minority carrier diffusion, right ?
What is the approximative diffusion length in the classic Epi layer ? If 5.5um pixel pitch is used, the Epi should have 10omhs, I guess.
You can create electric field by using high energy implanter.
ReplyDeleteDoes this tell us anything new about who CMOSIS uses as their fab?
ReplyDeleteFor the CMV2000 and CMV4000, CMOSIS seems to use Tower as a fab, as we can read in this press release: http://www.cmosis.com/news/press_releases/2009/first_off-the-shelf_high_resolution_sensor
ReplyDeleteNothing new on that end thus..