VCM Shortages to Ease

Digitimes reports that the tight supply of VCMs is expected to start easing in Q2 2013, as demand for lens modules has declined recently, while major VCM makers including Shicon, TDK, LG-Innotek and Hysonic are ramping up their production.

Imec Reviews Recent Image Sensor Innovations

Imec article in Solid State Technology reviews the major advances in image sensor technology:

"Interdisciplinarity takes imagers to a higher level" by Els Parton, Piet De Moor, Jonathan Borremans and Andy Lambrechts

Rumor: HTC to Introduce Layered "Ultrapixel" Sensor

Pocket Lint started the rumor that HTC oncoming M7 smartphone with feature image sensor with "ultrapixels". The HTC M7 sensor will be made up of three 4.3MP sensor layers stacked on top of each other, each sensing a different color. If true, it might represent an interesting cross between Sony stacked sensor and Foveon technologies.

The new smartphone is expected to be officially announced on Feb. 19.

Image Engineering Announces Tunable Light Source

Image Engineering announces a tunable light source, the iQ-LED. The new source is composed of 22 different software controlled LED channels it is possible to generate the spectrum of standard light sources such as D50, D55, D65, A, B, C etc. with a very high accuracy:

The 22 channels of the iQ-LED source

The user interface of the control software in prototype stage
with light set D65

Panasonic Develops Micro Color Splitters

Panasonic announces that it has found the holy grail of color image sensors design - the way to implement the color separation with no losses. Conventional sensors use a Bayer CFA that block 50-70% of the incoming light before it even reaches the sensor. Panasonic has developed unique "micro color splitters" that control the diffraction of light at a microscopic level directing each color to a respective pixel and that way achieved approximately double the color sensitivity in comparison with conventional sensors that use color filters:

Location of R-deflectors and detectors in the two-deflector method.
R-deflectors split colour to form the colours W + R in areas
between neighbouring R-deflectors, and W − R just beneath
the R-deflectors

This development is described in general terms in the Advance Online Publication version of Nature Photonics issued on February 3, 2013.

The developed technology has the following features:

1. Using color alignment, which can use light more efficiently, instead of color filters, vivid color photographs can be taken at half the light levels needed by conventional sensors.
2. Micro color splitters can simply replace the color filters in conventional image sensors, and are not dependent on the type of image sensor (CCD or CMOS) underneath.
3. Micro color splitters can be fabricated using inorganic materials and existing semiconductor fabrication processes.

This development is based on the following new technology.

1. A unique method of analysis and design based on wave optics that permits fast and precise computation of wave-optics phenomena.
2. Device optimization technologies for creating micro color splitters that control the phase of the light passing through a transparent and highly-refractive plate-like structure to separate colors at a microscopic scale using diffraction.
3. Layout technologies and unique algorithms that allow highly sensitive and precise color reproduction by combining the light that falls on detectors separated by the micro color splitters and processing the detected signals.

Panasonic holds 21 Japanese patents and 16 overseas patents, including pending applications, for this development.

Device optimization technologies leading to the creation of micro color splitters that control the phase of the light passing through a transparent and highly-refractive plate-like structure and use diffraction to separate colors on a microscopic scale:

Color separation of light in micro color splitters is caused by a difference in refractive index between a) the plate-like high refractive material that is thinner than the wavelength of the light and b) the surrounding material. Controlling the phase of traveling light by optimizing the shape parameters causes diffraction phenomena that are seen only on a microscopic scale and which cause color separation. Micro color splitters are fabricated using a conventional semiconductor manufacturing process. Fine-tuning their shapes causes the efficient separation of certain colors and their complementary colors, or the splitting of white light into blue, green, and red like a prism, with almost no loss of light.

Layout technologies and unique algorithms that enable highly sensitive and precise color reproduction by overlapping diffracted light on detectors separated by micro color splitters and processing the detected signals:

Since light separated by micro color splitters falls on the detectors in an overlapping manner, a new pixel layout and design algorithm are needed. The layout scheme is combined and optimized using an arithmetic processing technique designed specifically for mixed color signals. The result is highly sensitive and precise color reproduction. For example, if the structure separates light into a certain color and its complementary color, color pixels of white + red, white - red, white + blue, and white - blue are obtained and, using the arithmetic processing technique, are translated into normal color images without any loss of resolution.

2013 IISW Pre-registration Form is Posted and Open

2013 International Image Sensors Workshop pre-registration form posted and open.  Registration is limited to about 140 attendees on a first-come first-served basis (mostly). On the past workshops, the capacity was filled within few days, so hurry up.

Hamamatsu Announces ToF Sensors

Hamamatsu Photonics announces three image sensors that feature a high-speed charge transfer structure in each pixel to enable high-precision ToF distance measurements. The S11961-01CR is said to be the industry’s first linear image sensor for ToF distance measurement, and the S11962-01CR and S11963-01CR are area image sensors for 3D distance-measuring cameras.

In addition to conventional detection tasks such as detecting the presence of people or obstacles, the new image sensors provide various types of added functionality including distance measurement and shape detection. They have been designed for use in a wide variety of applications, such as automotive systems for detecting people or obstacles, object detection in semiconductor wafer transfer systems, shape detection by industrial robots, and intruder detection by security systems.

Samples of the new distance linear/area image sensors will be available from February 1, 2013.

Distance area image sensors (top): S11962-01CR, S11963-01CR
Distance linear image sensor (bottom): S11961-01CR

The PR in Japanese gives a lot more information (Google translation):

Overview of each type:

Linear type (S11961-01CR)
Linear type arranged in one column element is the industry's first
(Total pixels 272 pixels)
effective pixels 256 pixels long, 20μm pixel pitch, 50μm pixel height
Pixel array part, the sample-and-hold circuit, the horizontal shift register Non-destructive readout capabilities, high dynamic range and low noise
Applications
The automatic conveyor automobile and semiconductor wafer to determine the location and distance between, and shape, obstacles and people Automatic control to detect

Area type (S11962-01CR)
Light receiving element that make up the 3D distance image camera
(72 × 72 pixels Total number of pixels)
Number of 64 × 64 pixels effective pixels, 40μm × 40μm pixel size
The pixel array section, the column circuit CDS, horizontal shift register, the vertical shift register, timing
Constituted by the analog circuitry
Applications
Industry and care, such as the medical field, the robot operation is highly recognized people and obstacles
In the field of security, the PIN peek at bank ATM, in a crowded escalator
Operation control of security in the report, such as public toilets
Development and a wide range of applications in the field of gesture that recognizes the amusement

Area type (S11963-01CR)
(168 × 128 pixels Number of total pixels)
160 × 120 pixels Number of effective pixels, 30μm × 30μm pixel size
The pixel array, column gain amplifier, horizontal shift register, the vertical shift register, Thailand Timing circuit composed
By column gain amplifier to improve the accuracy of distance to reduce the influence of noise
Non-destructive readout capabilities, high dynamic range and low noise
Applications
Compared to the 11962-01CR, for applications that require higher resolution

Main Features:

1. Built-in anti-saturated stable operation even under sunlight
This product, the effect of background light such as a large (approximately 100 000 lux) was the weakness of conventional solar
We are built-saturation measures to reduce. Day or night, indoors or outdoors, small malfunction
Rather than to achieve a high sensitivity measurement can detect a weak signal light, stability can be used.

2. non-destructive readout capability to extend the dynamic range
S11963-01CR linear type and type of area, charge accumulation time is greater when the background light
Short time, when the weak signal that the charge accumulation time is longer when using the
In, we built a non-destructive readout capability to extend the dynamic range to long distances at close range

Peripheral Vision Simplifies Sensor Measurements

Market Wire: Peripheral Vision, Inc. introduces its ISOLIGHT light metering system that improves the quality and constancy of camera test images. It is important that test charts be evenly illuminated when capturing images; uneven illumination introduces error in measurements. Today's standard approach of using a hand-held light meter presents several problems, including shadows, distortion and difficulty in adjusting lights or positioning the meter. ISOLIGHT eliminates these issues by allowing a single person to continuously measure and monitor the absolute illumination level and uniformity without an assistant, ensuring that testing is accurate and well documented.

The ISOLIGHT light metering system consists of a holder for a test chart, four light sensors positioned at the chart corners and two different displays indicating the light level at each sensor. An LCD displays the light level as measurements or as bar graphs. Multi-color LED rings around each sensor simultaneously indicate whether the illumination at each sensor is too high, too low or within acceptable tolerances. A key feature is that the chart's readout displays are visible in the test images, making it easy to verify that illumination was both at the correct level and acceptably uniform. Finally, a 100 LED chaser bar lets the user measure the image exposure time, frame rate, dropped frames and frame-rate jitter. Synchronized audio output enables testing of audio/video capture synchronization.

ISOLIGHT is colored an industry-standard 18 percent gray to prevent distorting test scene color and camera performance. It safely holds standard-sized color test charts, as well as larger and smaller charts. The device offers multiple mounting options including tripod, wall hanging, table-top use and integral magnets for mounting to light booth walls.

Toshiba to Enter Contact Image-Sensor Module Market for Banknote Recognition

Business Wire: Toshiba announces that it will enter the linear image-sensor market for banknote recognition applications, a high growth business (counting and sorting machines, ATM, etc.). The company has developed a contact image-sensor module (CISM) for banknote recognition as its first product, and mass production is scheduled for June 2013.

Toshiba has already had linear image-sensor products for scanning applications, such as MFPs and text and image scanners, and sensing applications, such as barcode readers. The company has now broadened its portfolio in the sensing field with a linear image-sensor that offers approximately four times the infrared sensitivity of existing Toshiba products. The new linear sensor is a CISM integrated with the new sensors and it will be promoted as a solution that meets the Chinese government's enhanced requirements for banknote recognition systems, under the national standard "GB16999-2010".

Following the initial product, "CIPS183BS200" (effective scanning length: 183mm; resolution: 200dpi and 100dpi (selectable); data rate: 8MHz), products with thinner module cases, variations in effective scanning length and improved data rates are scheduled to follow. Customized module cases will be considered as an option, at the request of customers.

Key Features

1. Integrated high-sensitive linear sensors (Approximately four times the IR sensitivity of existing Toshiba products.)
2. Effective scanning length suitable for Chinese banknotes (183mm)
3. Resolution suitable for banknote recognition (200dpi and 100dpi, selectable)

Toshiba Contact Image-Sensor Module for Banknote Recognition

Imec Presents Hyperspectral Imagers

Imec’s prototype hyperspectral imager for snapshot and video captures an entire multispectral image at one discrete point in time. The hyperspectrality is achieved by applying a hyperspectral filter in a tiled lay-out on a commercially available CMOS-based image sensor (CMOSIS CMV2000, 2MP, max 340fps). The imager and off-the-shelf fore-optics simultaneously duplicates the scene onto each filter tile, acquiring multispectral image cubes of 256x256 pixels over 32 bands in the spectral range of 600-1000nm at up to 340 cubes per second—compliant to normal machine vision illumination levels. Due to its simple cube assembly process, the camera is able to acquire real-time hyperspectral video.

Imec’s line scan solution monolithically integrates hyperspectral filters on a CMOSIS CMV4000 imager (4MP, max 180fps). It scans 100 spectral bands in the 600-1000nm wavelength range. The filter bandwidth (Full Width Half Max) is about 10nm across the spectral range, with a transmission efficiency of ~85%. The speed of the system corresponds to an equivalent speed of 2,000 lines per second, significantly exceeding current state-of-the-art hyperspectral sensors.

Imec says it is the first to sample CMOS integrated hyperspectral imaging sensors. Evaluation kits of imec’s line scan solution are available now. Later in the yaar, imec expects to also launch evaluation systems for hyperspectral snapshot and video acquisition.

Imec’s prototype hyperspectral camera
for video and stills capture