Sony’s 16.41MP Sensor Shoots 1080p Video and should Be in Phones Next Year [Components]

Sure, it’s not all in regards to the megapixels, but Sony’s just trumped Panasonic’s Lumix phone with their 16.41MP Exmor R-based CMOS sensor-seen in a phone near you shortly.

Shooting 1080p video at 30fps, it uses back-illumination to attenuate visual noise. It will likely be offered to manufacturers from January, and may little question manifest in Sony Ericsson phones not less than. I’m hopeful other companies shall be inquisitive about these modules, as there’s no way in hell I’d ever consider buying a SE phone.

A second sensor, at 8.13MP, might not be as impressive with its specs, however the 5.67mm sensor is designed for super-slinky phones where size matters most. It’s actually the arena’s smallest and thinnest for phones, and with any luck we’d see it in models with slide-out QWERTY keyboards (my favorite), where an excess millimeter around the waist is a deadly game to play.

There’s a ton of knowledge on these two sensors inside the press release below, or head over to Sony’s site for comparison images between these sensors, and other ” conventional” models. [ Sony ]

Sony commercializes world’s first*1 16.41 Megapixel ” Exmor R™” back-illuminated CMOS image sensors for cell phones
- Also announces industry’s smallest and thinnest*1 lens module for mobile phones -

October 7, 2010, Tokyo, Japan – Sony Corporation (hereafter, ” Sony” ) today announced the commercialization of two new ” Exmor R” back-illuminated CMOS image sensors with dramatically improved photographic performance including significantly high sensitivity and occasional noise. Furthermore, Sony will launch two new lens modules equipped with these image sensors, which also include the smallest and thinnest*1 model for cellphones. It truly is also the first time that ” Exmor R” is commercialized for the use in cell phones.
*1 As of October 7, 2010

Model Name Shipment date (Plan) Sample price
Type 1/2.8 16.41 effective megapixels
back-illuminated CMOS image sensor
” IMX081PQ” January, 2011 2,500 JPY
Type 1/3.2 8.13 effective megapixels
back-illuminated CMOS image sensor
” IMX105PQ” April, 2011 1,500 JPY
Type 1/2.8 16.41 effective megapixels*2
Lens module ” IU081F” March, 2011 12,000 JPY
Type 1/3.2 8.13 effective megapixels*2
Lens module ” IU105F2″ April, 2011 8,000 JPY
*2 Based on the effective pixels of the image sensor

” IMX081PQ” is world’s first*1 type 1/2.8 back-illuminated CMOS image sensor which realizes 16.41 effective megapixel resolution, and adopts the industry’s smallest*1 unit pixel size of 1.12μm. ” IMX105PQ” is a sort 1/3.2 back-illuminated CMOS image sensor which realizes 8.13 effective megapixel resolutions for higher sensitivity and adopts a unit pixel size of 1.4μm. By embedding these highly sensitive sensors into cellphones, including those without camera flash, users can capture top of the range photos and videos even in low light settings.
Furthermore, Sony will commercialize ” IU081F” and ” IU105F2″ compact auto-focus lens modules including the two new ” Exmor R” back-illuminated CMOS image sensors. These down-sized modules are suitable and efficient for cellphones with relatively limited space and are equipped with high performance lens which maximize the image sensors’ respective performances. ” IU081F” is the industry’s smallest and thinnest*1 auto-focus lens module (W10.5 X D10.5 X H7.9mm) and is supplied with the 16.41 effective megapixel*2 CMOS image sensor. ” IU105F2″ adopts the 8.13 effective megapixel*2 CMOS image sensor, and belongs inside the industry’s smallest and thinnest*3 size class (W8.5 X D8.5 X H5.67mm).
Through its proprietary fine pixel fabrication process technology, Sony will proactively continue the improvement of ” Exmor R” which adopts the 1.12μm unit pixel size for cell phones. Accordingly, Sony aims to deal with customer demand by providing appropriately small lens modules especially for smartphones with large displays and limited space for components.

About the conclusion of high resolution
” IMX081PQ” is world’s first*1 type 1/2.8 back-illuminated CMOS image sensor which realizes 16.41 effective megapixel resolution, and adopts the industry’s smallest*1 unit pixel size of 1.12μm achieved by the fine pixel fabrication process technology. In theory, when a unit pixel size is made smaller, there are also some issues along with color mixture among smaller unit pixels. Sony solved this problem by implementing a novel formation of photo diodes optimally designed for fine pixel structure to appreciate a CMOS image sensor with high resolution, high sensitivity and occasional noise.

About manufacturing
Since 2009, Sony has been mass producing ” Exmor R” for Digital Still Cameras and Digital Video Camcorders on wafer lines (with diameter of 200mm) at Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Corporation’s Nagasaki Technology Center. At the tip of 2010, Sony plans to start out the mass production of ” Exmor R,” including those for cellphones announced today, at Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Corporation’s Kumamoto Technology Center, on cutting-edge wafer lines (with diameter of 300mm). Sony already announced (September 1, 2010) the investment of approximately 40 billion yen in Kumamoto Technology Center to increase production capacity for CMOS image sensors.

About Back-illuminated CMOS image sensor ” Exmor R”
Sony first announced the improvement of ” Exmor R” on Jun, 2008. ” Exmor R” has been incorporated in Sony’s digital imaging products since 2009, and its use in other products has continued to expand. ” Exmor R” CMOS image sensor features Sony’s independently developed back-illuminated structure, realizing significantly higher sensitivity in addition as lower noise. In this back-illuminated CMOS image sensor, light is directed onto the silicon substrate from behind, allowing light to be used with a level of efficiency unattainable with conventional front-illuminated structures.

Main features

1) CMOS image sensor with the area’s first*1 16.41 effective megapixel resolution for use in cell phones. (” IMX081PQ” )
-adopts formation technology used to create industry’s smallest*11.12µm unit pixel
2) Realizes high sensitivity and coffee noise through back-illuminated structure.
3) Adopts Sony’s proprietary ” Column-Parallel A/D Conversion Technique” , providing each column inside the sensor with its own A/D converter, achieving high frame rates of 15 frame/sec (in all-pixel scan mode) and whole-HD video taking capability.

1) The industry’s smallest and thinnest*1 lens module equipped with CMOS image sensor, lens and auto-focus functions within which the pixel structure and lens are optimally designed. (” IU081F” )
2) Approximately twice as sensitive as a standard front-illuminated CMOS image sensor by combining back-illuminated CMOS image sensor and bright lens with small f-number. (” IU105F2″ )
3) Equipped with 28mm wide-angle lens (35mm conversion) that’s convenient for daily shooting.

Source

This post is tagged: commercialization, comparison images, conventional models, photographic performance, sony corporation