ST Reports 1 Billion Shipped ToF Sensors

GlobeNewswire: STMicroelectronics announces the shipment of its 1 billionth ToF module. ST’s ToF sensors utilize SPADs manufactured at ST’s 300mm front-end fab in Crolles, France. The final module, which integrates the SPAD sensor, a VCSEL, and the necessary optical elements, is assembled and tested in ST’s internal back-end facilities.

“ST has pioneered and transitioned Time-of-Flight technology from its research labs to a fully industrialized family of market-leading products that are now being used in more than 150 different smartphone models and have just passed the 1 billion module milestone,” said Eric Aussedat, GM of ST’s Imaging Subgroup. “In continuing to invest, ST has extended the FlightSense roadmap for Time-of-Flight products from high-performance 1-dimensional ranging devices to multi-zone solutions and most recently adding high-resolution 3D depth sensing capabilities to enable innovative applications using advanced proximity sensing, human presence detection, and laser autofocus.”

The VL6180, VL53L0, and VL53L1 families of products, among others, are in high-volume production for consumer, personal computer, and industrial markets. ST’s vertically integrated manufacturing model for the ToF sensors ensures high levels of service, quality, customer support, and performance.