Hamamatsu Publishes ToF Sensor Datasheets

Hamamatsu publishes datasheets of ToF image sensors that it announced a year ago. A linear sensor S11963-01CR has 256 pixels of 20um x 50um size. The area sensor S11962-01CR features a 64 x 64 array of 40um pixels. The area sensor S11963-01CR has a 160 x 120 array of 30um pixels. The sensors share the same spectral response:

S11963 Block Diagram

Photon Counting Imaging for CT

American Association of Physicists in Medicine published a video lecture on photon-counting detectors in dual energy CT imaging and image quality on clinical CT applications. No embedding is allowed, one can watch it only on Vimeo site.

Microsoft Hosts ToF Imaging Workshop

The International Time-of-Flight Workshop will be held on March 9-12, 2014 in Ein-Gedi, Israel. The invitation-only event was initiated and is hosted by Dr. Giora Yahav from Microsoft Israel R&D center. The organizing committee includes:

Erhardt Barth (University of Lübeck / Gestigon, DE)
Shahram Izadi (Microsoft Research, UK)
Nobukazu Teranishi (University of Hyogo / Shizuoka University, JP)
Christian Theobalt (MPI für Informatik – Saarbrücken, DE)
Giora Yahav (Chairman, Microsoft R&D, IL)
Erez Tadmor (Organizer, Microsoft R&D, IL)

The workshop agenda:

• Edoardo Charbon, University of Delft
  “Time-of-Flight Approaches to SPAD and SiPM Imaging”
• Christoph Garbe, University of Heidelberg,
  “Algorithmic Enhancement and Validation for Time-of-Flight Imaging”
• Christian Theobalt, MPI Informatik
  “Sensor Fusion in Time-of-Flight Imaging and Depth-Based Performance Capture”
• Zeev Zalevsky, Bar-Ilan University
  “Novel Concepts for Photonic Ranging”
• Johannes Steurer, ARRI
  “Exploring New Avenues in Motion Picture Production: A Groundbreaking RGB+Z Camera Demands Cutting-Edge Time-of-Flight Technology”
• Nobukazu Teranishi, University of Hyogo / Shizuoka University
  “A Review for Global Shutter Image Sensors” - keynote
• Erez Tadmor, Microsoft
  “Time-of-Flight Image Sensor Characterization”
• Tohru Yamada, AIS Panasonic
  “Pixel Design and Technologies for Time-of-Flight Sensor”
• Reinhard Koch, University of Kiel,
  “Model-based Analysis of Dynamic Scenes from Range-Color Video”
• Amos Feningstein, TowerJazz
  “IR SPAD Development in TowerJazz”
• Ruigang Yang, University of Kentucky
  “High-Accuracy Gait Analysis using A Single Depth Camera for Medical Applications”
• Erhardt Barth, University of Luebeck / Gestigon
  “Gesture Interfaces with Depth Sensors” - keynote
• Keita Yasutomi, Shizuoka University
  “High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Range Imagers with Lateral Electric Field Modulators”
• Matthias Hullin, MPI Informatik / University of Bonn
  “Transient Imaging with Photonic Mixer Devices”
• Daniel Freedman, Microsoft
  “Sparse Reflections Analysis: Fast Removal of General Multipath for Time-of-Flight Sensors”
• Assaf Lahav, TowerJazz
  “Ultra High Speed Imaging - Highlights from Kirania”
• Ayush Bhandari, MIT media lab
  “Multi-frequency Methods for Solving Inverse Problems in TOF Imaging”
• Andreas Kolb, University of Siegen
  “Time-of-Flight Data Processing, Challenges and Solutions” - keynote
• Daniel Van Nieuwenhove, Softkinetic
  “Time-of-Flight: How to Make Lower Power, Lower Noise and Higher Accuracy Work Together”
• Juergen Gall, University of Bonn
  “From Pose to Affordance”
• Shahram Izadi, Microsoft Research
  ”Designing Interactive User Experiences Using Advanced 3D Computer Vision Techniques”
• Bernhard Buttgen, MESA Imaging
  “Power Considerations for Time-of-Flight Imaging in Mobile Devices”
• Seiichiro Mizuno, Solid State Division - Hamamatsu Photonics
  “Industrial Time-of-Flight Sensor Development at Hamamatsu Photonics”
• Micha Feigin-Almon, MIT media lab
  “Time Resolved Imaging and Applications”
• Yebin Liu, Tsinghua University
  “Fourier Analysis on Transient Imaging by Time-of-Flight Camera”
• Refael Whyte, Waikato University
  “Novel Methods for Resolving Multipath in Time-of-Flight Cameras”

Frost & Sullivan on Image Sensor Market

PR Newswire: Frost & Sullivan Strategic Analysis of the World Optical and Image Sensors Market, finds that the market earned revenues of $9.07 billion in 2013 and estimates this to reach $15.12 billion in 2019. "Maintaining a balance between high image quality, technology and price is the biggest challenge for optical and image sensor suppliers. This is compounded by the large number of established and emerging participants, especially in the consumer electronics segment that have intensified competition and pricing pressures. Since smaller manufacturers find it difficult to differentiate products by any factor other than price, their entry into high-volume application markets will be tough.

Another barrier for entrants is the strong brand image and customer loyalty that established competitors have built in the image sensors market. Smaller manufacturers need to enhance their product development and target niche areas (low volume but high margin) to contend with large companies."

Dongbu Keeps Making Foveon Sensors

Business Wire: Dongbu HiTek confirmes that it is volume manufacturing "X3 Quattro" direct image sensors for Foveon for its parent company Sigma. "Foveon’s newly developed X3 Quattro sensors can deliver 39 megapixel-equivalent ultrahigh resolution to enable stunning image quality" said Jae Song, Dongbu HiTek EVP of marketing. "Compared to prior sensor designs, this represents a 30% increase in pixel detail without the need to increase chip size. We take great pride in being the only foundry capable of processing and manufacturing Foveon’s specialized sensors using a pixel-stacking architecture.” He noted that Dongbu HiTek has been processing and manufacturing innovative CIS devices for Foveon for over a decade, and that the latest 39 megapixel-equivalent sensor has been in production for more than nine months."

CMOSIS Announces 8MP/105fps GS Sensor

CMOSIS announces the CMV8000, a 4/3-inch 8MP sensor based on 5.5µm 8T glogal shutter pixel architecture. From an electro-optical point-of-view the CMV8000 offers the same performance as the older CMV2000 and CMV4000 sensors. "With the introduction of the CMV8000 we respond to the requests of many of our customer for a sensor with CMV performance closing the resolution gap that existed between our CMV4000 and CMV12000 image sensors", said Lou Hermans, COO, CMOSIS. "The full frame rate of 104 frames per second is achieved by using the proven data interfacing of the recently launched CMV12000."

SiOnyx Launches Licensing Program

Business Wire: In response to significant customer demand, SiOnyx launches its imaging technology licensing program. The program allows sensor designers and manufacturers to independently produce their own products based on Black Silicon XQE process.

The commodity image sensors don’t work very well in IR. The SiOnyx Black Silicon XQE platform solves that problem by providing a 400% improvement in IR sensitivity.

"Since introducing our XQE family of infrared enhanced CMOS image sensors, we’ve been approached by an overwhelming number of companies seeking to take advantage of the unique performance of black silicon in their own production lines," said Stephen Saylor, CEO of SiOnyx. "To support these customers we’ve already proven the efficacy and performance gains of our proprietary laser process in a number of third-party designs."

"Infrared imaging has emerged as a critical requirement in mobile devices seeking to add features in natural user interface and biometrics. Adoption of the XQE platform in these markets drives significant economies of scale for SiOnyx and helps to ensure that our technology will dominate the landscape for low cost infrared imaging," said Eric Mazur, SiOnyx founder and the Balkanski Professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Harvard University.

Built on a decade of collaborative research, SiOnyx and Harvard University now hold over 70 patents relating to the black silicon process and sensor integration. SiOnyx is the exclusive licensee of Harvard’s patents relating to black silicon and has developed its own portfolio of XQE CMOS images sensors based on the technology for defense and commercial night vision applications.

A video below shows the night vision capabilities of SiOnyx XQE-1310 sensor:

Red Epic Dragon Sensor Wins DxOMark Top Spot

DxOMark gave Red Epic Dragon sensor a record high sensor performance score, higher than all Nikon, Canon and Sony DSLRs:

"With a 5-point lead over the Nikon D800E which was the previous best-performing sensor in our database, the Epic Dragon achieves the highest DxOMark score we’ve seen to date, at 101 points. Given that the Dragon is the new reference for sensor quality, it’s all the more impressive when you consider both its size (similar to an APS-H size sensor) and the fact that it shoots ultra-high frame rates at full resolution."

Red Dragon sensor is 19MP, 30.7 x 15.8mm Bayer pattern sensor with 16-bit ADC, and supports different resolutions including 6K video (6144 x 3160 pixels). For the tests, the camera was set to full 6K resolution at 23.98 fps.

"With a sensor area 0.56 x smaller by surface area than a 35mm (24 x 36 mm) full frame sensor, the results are very impressive. As the sensor and image processor can deliver very high frame rates, the Epic Dragon is certainly adopting multiple sampling techniques to reduce noise levels (also known as temporal noise reduction). Without such processing, such high SNR would only be possible from a sensor with an exceptional Full Well Capacity. Performances like this seem, to us, above the current technical capabilities of CMOS sensors.

As a side note, it’s interesting to speculate whether rivals such as Nikon, Canon or Sony are already adopting such techniques during video capture or in jpeg. But, this is the first time we can assess this type of performance on still RAW."

TowerJazz Talks about Panasonic CIS Process

Seeking Alpha published TowerJazz earnings call transcript where the company talks about oncoming CIS foundry process based on Panasonic fab capabilities:

"The JV has multiple additional specialty flows, including Panasonic's world-class, high definition front side illumination, low dark current CMOS image sensor technology, and high voltage SOI based power management technologies. Panasonic's High Definition FSI is a world leading CMOS image sensor benchmark technology for high quantum efficiency. It is a unique technology that enables the use of front side illumination, even for small pixels, against the current industry trend of using expensive and less efficient back side illumination. Panasonic's dark current performance, CMOS image sensor technology, is known to be of the best in the industry, not only due to the average very low dark currents, even at elevated temperatures, but also with extremely small tail for high dark current pixels, known as bright pixels. As a result, Panasonic's technology allows excellent images at lowlight conditions. Already, we have begun engagements with multiple, first-year, brand-recognized, high-end camera makers for applications our internal technologies could not serve, prior to this joint venture."

"the new exciting joint venture with Panasonic opens an outstanding growth path for our CIS business unit with Panasonic's 12-inch, 65-nanometer CIS technology. We plan to use this facility to penetrate new markets such as high-end DSLR for professional photography, and high-end security cameras. Panasonic's extremely high-quality process, including their outstanding high definition FSI, combined with our stitching technology, is very appealing. And we are in active discussions with customers about high-volume, high-margin opportunities."

Then the company reports about its image sensor business achievements:

"Revenues from our CMOS Image Sensor business unit grew by approximately 20%, as compared to 2012. We expect it to grow substantially in the coming 2 years and beyond. Design wins of CMOS Image Sensors over the past 2 years have totaled 75 different products. As you know, this business unit targets the markets of high-end photography, cinematography and broadcasting segments, as well as medical and dental x-ray sensors, high-end industrial, high frame-rate sensors, automotive and security sensors and 3D sensors for gesture control applications. The high-end video market is in a worldwide growth phase, which we are enjoying.

Our market share in the high-end photography and broadcasting segment is now close to 50%. The 2 leading cinematography camera suppliers and one of the market leaders in broadcasting segment, are making their sensors exclusively with us.

The dental x-ray market, we are the market-leading supplier with over 70% market share in intraoral dental sensors. We are growing substantially in the extraoral market, with 2 new major suppliers that are ramping to volume production this year. The industrial sensor market, growing at a 30% CAGR, is also an important sector for us where we are delivering high volumes for several of our European customers.

Last year, we announced a large deal with a market leader for a consumer 3D gesture control sensor. We expect this to move into volume production during 2014, with a major ramp in 2015 and 2016."

Image Algorithmics Proposes to Extend DR in RGB-W Sensors

Seattle, WA-based Image Algorithmics comes with a way to extend DR of RGB-W sensors by eliminating the over-exposed W pixels in its demosaicing solution: "Our processing trades off overexposure performance with artifacting and can tolerate 6dB of overexposure on typical images with little artifacting. This corresponds to a 3dB increase in the dynamic range of the system and enables the RGBW CFA to equal the noise performance of a Bayer sensor with twice the pixel area."