Panasonic's Next Generation MOS Image Sensor

Over the past couple of years, the image sensor makers came up with few revolutionary technologies to improve the image quality in digital cameras. Apparently, this is not the case for Panasonic, which is now ready to introduce its outstanding breakthrough in the digital image sensors field.

Panasonic announces that it has completed the development of a robust and lightning-fast image sensor for the next generation digital cameras. This revolutionary technology allows a MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) image sensor to be used under harsh sunlight conditions for more than 20 years, without the inherent loss of image quality. Traditional CMOS and CCD image sensors integrate degradable polymer on-chip microlenses and dyed color filters, but the new MOS image sensor features digital-microlenses and photonic color filters, both made of inorganic materials that are inherently fade-resistant and add to a more robust package.

Panasonic further explains that polymer on-chip microlenses and dyed RGB color filters found on conventional image sensors are far too fragile and extremely susceptible to ultra-violet sunlight exposure and changes in temperature. In contrast, the new MOS sensor includes the latest in semiconductor process technology, which allows for the integration of an array of digital-microlenses made of an inorganic material in subwavelength dimensions. These innovative digital-microlens can be formed by patterning digitally the inorganic material in concentric rings, working as a conventional on-chip microlens to gather more light onto the photo diode area. With the addition of this inorganic pattern, camera modules may be able to achieve a more uniform sensitivity across the entire image sensor.

The newly introduced photonic color filters are made of inorganic materials as well, allowing for a much wider color selection between UV and infrared spectral regions. The photonic color filters also improve the responsiveness of digital cameras, an aspect particularly essential for security and automotive image capturing devices.