"With conventional types of polarization sensors, the polarizer is attached on top of the on-chip lens layer (Fig.2), however with Sony Semiconductor Solutions’ polarization sensor the polarizer is formed on chip under the on-chip lens layer (Fig.3). A shorter distance between the polarizer and the photodiode improves the extinction ratio and the incident angle dependence.
Since the polarizer is formed during the semiconductor process, form and formulation of polarizer, uniformity, mass productivity and durability are excellent compared to conventional polarization sensors. Furthermore, Sony Semiconductor Solutions’ Polarization sensor is covered with an anti-reflection layer which helps to reduce reflectance and avoids poor flare and ghost characteristics.
By creating a unique air gap structure in the polarizer, it enables excellent polarization properties and sensitivity in a broad band from visible to near infrared. It also has an advantage of excellent image quality in various light source environments by introducing the world's first anti-reflection layer to reduce flare and ghost for polarization sensor."
The company shows a number of examples where polarization imaging has advantages:
I wonder why shorter wavelength has larger extinction ratio.I think the ratio depend on the grid pitch wavelength relation how fine the pitch of the wire-grid to the wavelength of interest.
ReplyDeletethe officially announce it end sep 2019? It was presented at least 2 years back, there are already maybe 10 camera suppliers shipping cameras with it (at least they have announced cameras...). It seems at Sony official product announcements come 1 year after the product gets available, while in other image sensor manufacturers the 'product is available' press release comes 2 years after product announcement ;-)
ReplyDeleteSee it yourself, the date of the official announcement is Sept. 2018 (not 2019):
Deletehttps://www.sony-semicon.co.jp/products_en/new_pro/index.html
sorry - this was a typo, I meant 2018... The sensor first came to my attention at the Framos Techdays in May 2016 (I double checked this date now ;-). I think its remarkable that Sony officially announces a product 2 years after public demos. And maybe a year after first cameras with it came to the market (or at least were announced by the manufcaturers...), most of the camera suppliers offer cameras already... Other companies would have officially announced the Sensor in 2014.
DeleteAny insight into the cost per chip?
ReplyDelete