Tower Semiconductor and TriEye Deliver Revolutionary CMOS-based SWIR Sensors for the Automotive ADAS Market
Demonstrating superb performance with a 1.3Mp 7um pixel pitch sensor array with excellent response in the SWIR spectrum
Based on Tower’s BSI Germanium photo-diodes on silicon using unique pixel-level electrical connection in wafer stacking process
MIGDAL HAEMEK, Israel, and TEL AVIV, Israel – Aug. 31, 2023 – Tower Semiconductor (NASDAQ/TASE: TSEM), a leader in high-value analog semiconductor foundry solutions, and TriEye, pioneer of the world’s first commercial CMOS-based Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) sensing solutions, today announced the release of a breakthrough SWIR sensor for the automotive ADAS and industrial markets, demonstrating unparalleled performance of a 1.3Mp 7um pixel array with excellent response across the SWIR spectrum. The new sensor utilizes Tower’s advanced BSI Germanium photo-diodes on silicon using a unique pixel-level electrical connection in a wafer stacking process allowing a monolithic CMOS based solution for sensing light in wavelength way beyond the capability of silicon. According to Yole Group, a leading market research firm, the short-wave infrared sensor market is expected to grow at 44% CAGR reaching $2.9B dollars by 2028.
TriEye’s sensing solution provides a clear view in any visibility conditions, even under very harsh driving conditions including very low light, severe fog, dust, or smoke conditions. While existing SWIR sensors are inherently very expensive and hence cannot be considered for mass markets, TriEye’s SWIR CMOS-based solution provides high performance at low cost and can be efficiently deployed in high volume markets such as automotive ADAS. This product profoundly addresses the progressive needs of the automotive market segment towards autonomous driving.
“We have been working closely with TriEye over the past several years on the development of their innovative sensor. As always, it is exciting to see the successful results of this teamwork being realized into its market potential,” said Dr. Avi Strum, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Sensors and Displays Business Unit, Tower Semiconductor. “Collaborating with TriEye’s pioneering team of experts in the field of SWIR sensing solutions was an exceptionally fruitful process. We are confident that this advanced sensing solution with its market-leading features sets a solid foundation for future developments and will contribute greatly to the infrared imaging market.”
"We're excited to reveal that we've selected Tower Semiconductor as our partner for the development and manufacturing of TriEye’s revolutionary CMOS-based SWIR sensing solutions," said Mr. Avi Bakal, TriEye CEO and Co-Founder. "As the ADAS market experiences exponential growth, there is a rising demand for advanced sensors capable of delivering high-resolution imaging and reliable 3D sensing in any challenging weather and lighting conditions. Tower’s expertise and extensive experience makes them the ideal partner as their innovation strongly aligns with our current initiatives and future business aspirations, paving the way for a game-changing collaboration."
For additional information about Tower’s CMOS Image Sensor technology offerings, please visit here.
For more information about TriEye’s product and technology, please visit here.
Will this device be restricted for exportation if the performance is so high? If not then the restrictions on 3-5 based devices will be non-sense.
ReplyDeleteThe export controls on infrared imagers are nonsense anyway since everyone in the world knows how to build them.
ReplyDeleteIs it a SPAD-based dToF or an iToF depth sensor?
ReplyDeleteIt should be photodiode based gated imager, not in-pixel demodulated iTOF nor SPAD.
DeleteFair comment. Actually if you look at the Dual Use (Wassennar) agreement all devices with a peak response exceeding 1200nm are subject to be export controlled whatever their performances. This should be controlled such as QD and IIIV devices.
ReplyDeletePierre Potet
if we follow these stupide clauses, even iPhone Pro has to be controlled.
DeleteThese "stupid clauses" are laws. If you want to bypass them - have fun in prison. Should give you ample time for reading. Of course, aspects of any phone fall under certain control regulations and it's job of the OEMs to handle these. The fact that these technologies are dual use, doesn't mean you can't have products - just means you'll need to apply for licenses and that you need to be transparent to the government about what you're doing exactly and with whom.
Deletethe same should apply to other "emerging swir alternatives" like the cqd based approaches, right? all this is basically usable in similar way on military context like ingaas?
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of new infrared companies coming out recently, from SWIR to LWIR. Their performance and price out-perform mamy western counter-part. Strangely there is zero exportation control on these devices by China. Wedtern exportation control has to be reformed. Otherwise it will kill many market opportunities. Current situation is like electric car. Since there is no fundamental difficulties on ROIC and bonding, when there is break-thought on material, the progress will be fast. Many chinese infrared cameras are shipped to middle-east, it will come to EU very soon.
ReplyDeleteTowers said that DC is 300pA per pixel.
ReplyDeleteI have a question on this Ge-Si SWIR sensing technology: who owns this technology ? Is this developped by Towers and opened to all Towers's customers or is this reserved to TriEye ?
ReplyDeleteArtlilux presented a Ge-Si technology in IISW 2023.
ReplyDeletecould please remind their DC value? thanks
Deleteit's a germanium SPAD claiming DCR of 10 kcps/um^2, so for 7um active area the dark current should be around a few hundreds of fA around breakdown voltage. still much higher than silicon though.
DeleteWhat’s the rationale for Trieye to give up its core plasmonic enhanced Si Schottky detector, and switch to Ge instead?
ReplyDeletesimply it doesn't work!
DeleteJust for those who don't know - this technology came from Bell Labs where one of the NoblePeak founders worked. When I was at TI in the late 60s, we made a germanium target like the silicon targets in the silicon vidicons we manufactured for the Air Force. It was passivated with SiO2. Around the target (which was mounted on a regular vidicon tube structure) was a tube so we could cool the target with liquid nitrogen when it was operating. We ran it all night once in my test lab to take QE curves and some other performance data. As far as I know, it never ran again.
ReplyDelete