EE Times Under The Hood - October 8, 2007 - (Page 35) UTH0907pg1 v7.qxp 9/20/2007 11:42 AM Page 24 SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT Samsung’s Leadership in CMOS Image Sensors igital imaging is one of the most rapidly evolving areas in electronics. The market has been exploding in recent years as consumers discover all the new capabilities that digital still and video cameras, PC cameras and surveillance cameras now offer,. In particular, mobile handsets with cameras have increased in popularity, with an astounding 800 million units projected to be sold in 2007. Design engineers and technical managers, looking to source for their next generation camera phones, camcorders, videoconference and related devices, should consider solutions using Samsung’s comprehensive line of CMOS image sensor products. Samsung’s lineup features its latest 1/4-inch, 3-megapixel sensors that use Samsung’s leading 1.75um pixel technology. These sensors are made in Samsung’s 90nm process technology in a state-of-the-art 12” wafer fab. Offered in both a sensor only version as well as system-on-chip (SOC) version, which combine the sensor and ISP (image signal processor) in a single chip, Samsung’s 3-megapixel solutions are targeted simply to allow camera phones to take the best possible D images particularly in sub-optimal low light conditions. Pushing the quality and cost performance continuum, Samsung’s leading edge CIS technology enables low light sensitivity and SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) that is competitive with CCD technology performance. This is important in camera phones, which have no onboard flash. Utilizing 90-nm process technology, the latest sensors use Samsung’s proprietary 90nm copper wire technology that reduces the distance between the micro-lens to the photo diode, resulting in maximizing the sensor reception to overcome the potential decline of image quality as the pixel size scales down. In addition, CMOS technology consumes less power and is much more compact than traditional CCD image sensors, which is key for handheld applications where battery life and overall device size is crucial. The 1.75um pixel 1/4-inch, 3megapixel sensor shows no degradation in the picture quality compared to conventional 2.2um pixel-based sensors available in the market today. In addition, Samsung has leading ISP technology to significantly reduce SAMSUNG CMOS IMAGE SENSOR ADVANTAGES • VGA to multi-megapixel resolutions • Smallest sensor sizes enabling the smallest module sizes • Leading sensitivity and SNR at low lux for 2.25um and 1.75um pixels • Advanced CMOS silicon manufacturing technology • Reliable supply • Partnered with the leading camera module makers noise, enhance color, and support advanced features such as auto focus and high-speed serial interfaces standards such as SMIA and MIPI. Samsung’s strengths in semiconductor manufacturing also offer benefits to customers. Expertise in 130nm/90nm/65nm process technologies can increase integration and reduce costs. With multiple fabs used to support Samsung’s CIS business, customers are assured of the supplies they need compared to fab-less vendors, who don’t control supply and allocation. SAMSUNG CMOS IMAGE SENSOR PORTFOLIO VGA SXGA 1.3 Megapixel Sensor+ISP Sensor Sensor+ISP Sensor Sensor+ISP Sensor+ISP Sensor Sensor+ISP Sensor 1/10 inch 1/5 inch 1/4 inch 1/4 inch 1/4 inch 1/4 inch 1/4 inch 1/4 inch 1/3.2 inch (Part # S5KA3D) (Part # S5K5AA) (Part # S5K4AA) (Part # S5K4B1) (Part # S5K4BA) (Part # S5K4B2) (Part # S5K4C1) (Part # S5K4CA) (Part # S5K3E1) UXGA 2 Megapixel Samsung has the CMOS image sensor solutions that engineers need to build leadingedge designs. QXGA 3 Megapixel QSXGA 5 Megapixel BY RICHARD YEH, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, SAMSUNG SYSTEM LSI MARKETING For more information, visit www.samsung.com/semi/imaging http://www.samsung.com/semi/imaging http://www.samsung.com/semi/imaging
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