Leti Presents Pixcurve Technology

CEA-Leti presents its curved sensor technology:

"Curved sensor technology is a disruptive approach for imaging applications such as photography, videography, computer vision, surveillance and many other applications," says Leti researcher Bertrand Chambion. "In recent years, we have seen very strong interest in curved electronics, particularly for opto-electronics systems whose performance improves, while size, complexity and cost are reduced."

Leti demo is based on a 1/1.8-inch 1.3MP CMOS sensor. The standard sensor structure consists of a 7.74 x 8.12 mm silicon die glued on a ceramic package. Electrical connections are wire bonded from the die to the package surface and, then, to the interconnection board. A glass cover is placed on top for mechanical protection.

Leti uses a grinding process to get the sensor below 100µm thick, which makes it mechanically flexible. It is then glued onto a curved substrate, which determines its final shape. A wire bonding process developed for electrical connections is used to prevent damages on the thinned dies. The radius of curvature is R=65mm.