TowerJazz's 2.5um GS pixel is said to be the smallest in the world; the otherwise currently available smallest pixel for such high-end applications used in the market is 3.2um (65% larger) and demonstrates overall lower performance. TowerJazz's 2.5um global shutter pixel features a unique light pipe technology, great angular response, more than 80dB shutter efficiency in spite of the extreme small size, and extremely low noise of 1e-. Gpixel has started prototyping its GMAX0505 using TowerJazz's 65nm process on a 300mm platform in its Uozu, Japan facility.
"TowerJazz has been an important and strategic fab partner of Gpixel for many years. We are very pleased with the support of great technology innovation from TowerJazz with our current global shutter sensor families, backside illuminated scientific CMOS sensor solutions and today, the next generation global shutter industrial sensor product family," said Xinyang Wang, CEO of Gpixel, Inc. "The GMAX0505 is our second product after our first 2.8um pixel product that is already ramped up into production at TowerJazz's Arai fab in Japan. We are very excited and looking forward to seeing more products using this pixel technology in the near future. The successful introduction of the new 25Mp product will bring our customers a unique advantage in the growing demand of machine vision applications."
Avi Strum, TowerJazz Senior VP and GM of CMOS Image Sensor Business Unit, said, "We are very excited to be the first and only foundry in the world to offer this new technology - the smallest global shutter pixel available. Through our collaboration with Gpixel, we are able to create a compact package design which allows for miniature camera design. We are pleased with our long term relationship with Gpixel and with the way our technology combined with their excellent products allow us to target and gain market share in the growing high resolution industrial markets."
GMAX0505 is a charge domain global shutter image sensor which has 70% peak QE and can run up to 150fps frame rate.
technically this is a surprisingly attractive device for machine vision (I dont know the price yet ;-). square 5k x5k, small global shutter pixels, fast output, still low enough TDP and package dimension for small case. With e.g. a dual lane cxp including all transcievers and a FPGA this will be not much bigger than 29mm form factor for 25MP transfered in about 20ms. lets see when it will be around in reality, it can take a while from a announcement to a real product. This could/will become a strong competition for the Emerald 16M (which is a very attractive product as well...), as well for parts of the Pregius line (where for example I dont understand why Sony chose to increase the pixel size in G3. looking forward to learn about pregius G4. Nevertheless, exciting times for machine vision (and very exciting times also in other fiels of image sensors, the progress is really impressive)
ReplyDeleteA flyer is already available: http://www.gpixelinc.com/en/index.php?s=/b/112.html.
maybe somebody can post again here when the first industrial camera with this devices is around
Do you know what's Gpixel's role/contribution in the development of the sensor?
DeleteBased on previous experience I assume TowerJazz developed the pixel IP in their Uozu fab starting from Gpixel pixel specifications and Gpixel fully designed the rest of the sensor readout.
DeleteCongratulations to both teams for this development. It looks like they have a very successful and competitive partnership in terms of performance and development cycle.
Sensor GMAX0505 will appear in the summer, so it's too early to talk about the finished industrial camera. The sensor is really unique, as well as GMAX0806. The price will be very attractive! :) We already got GMAX0806, but we didn't have free time to start projecting the camera.
ReplyDelete