FillFactory supplies imager for Kodak's new 13mpix DSLR By
Michael R. Tomkins, The Imaging Resource
(Friday, September 27, 2002 - 00:42 EDT)Belgian image sensor manufacturer FillFactory NV is the source of Kodak's CMOS image sensor that will be used to provide a jaw-dropping resolution of 13.85 megapixels in the new DCS Pro 14n digital camera, a press release reveals.
According to the release, the company has now begun shipments of the sensor, which it first started jointly working on with Kodak 18 months ago. Meanwhile, Israeli company Tower Semiconductor is producing ICs for the sensor using 0.5&pico;m CMOS technology.
If you've wondered why the price of image sensors increases exponentially with size, an image of one of the full-frame 14 megapixel CMOS sensors on top of one of the wafers from which it hails should answer that question. As you can see, only 11 sensors can fit onto the wafer, with the remaining space being too close to the edge of the wafer to fit in another sensor. With the much smaller sensors used in consumer digicams, you'd be able to fit literally dozens and dozens of sensors onto that wafer...
The press release also answers a question that may have occurred to some of our readers - you're not likely to see this impressive-looking sensor with its 36 x 24mm dimensions and 8 &pico;m pixel size in anything other than a Kodak camera. In FillFactory's own words, "[this] new device is an exclusive development for Kodak and will therefore not be offered as a standard FillFactory product. However, FillFactory can develop similar imaging devices for other interested third parties."
Source:
FillFactory NV
Original Source Press Release:
FillFactory full-frame sensor for Kodak DCS Pro 14n digital SLR
September 26, 2002 - FillFactory has begun shipments to Kodak Professional of a customised 13.85 M pixel CMOS image sensor for its new SLR camera, DCS Pro 14n, launched at the Photokina 2002 (Cologne, Germany) earlier this week.
With an 8 um pixel size and total light sensitive area of 36 mm x 24 mm, this device currently offers the highest resolution for a true 35 mm format image sensor.
This new high-resolution CMOS image sensor is the result of a joint research and development effort that started about 18 months ago. The development work successfully addressed the challenge of achieving the required electro-optical performance, as well as the demanding requirements related to die placement accuracy, packaging, cover glass quality and NIR cut-off filter characteristics. Special attention was also paid to the design of the on-chip colour filters.
The integrated circuits for this image sensor are produced by Tower Semiconductor (Migdal Haemek, Israel, NYSE: TSEM; TASE:TOWER) utilizing its 0.5 um CMOS technology. "This product offering results directly from the close alignment between Tower and FillFactory to advance current capabilities in CMOS image sensor applications. Due to Tower's extensive experience with mega pixel image sensors, we are able to provide customers and designers with background information to boost customer successes in volume production. As far as we know, no other foundry today offers this combination of capabilities and experience to CMOS image sensor designers and customers", says Tower Semiconductor's Danny Hacohen, Vice President of Sales - Europe, Asia and Japan.
In support of this initiative, FillFactory installed a new cleanroom for device inspection, device testing and packing under class 100 conditions and will continue to expand its design, production and test facilities at its Mechelen base.
"With this order from Kodak Professional, FillFactory will continue to strengthen and expand its position in the high-end digital photography market segment. Our customers in other market segments will also benefit from the investments in infrastructure and quality that have been driven by the production of the Kodak device", stresses Luc De Mey, FillFactory's President and CEO.
This new device is an exclusive development for Kodak and will therefore not be offered as a standard FillFactory product. However, FillFactory can develop similar imaging devices for other interested third parties.
If you've wondered why the price of image sensors increases exponentially with size, an image of one of the full-frame 14 megapixel CMOS sensors on top of one of the wafers from which it hails should answer that question. As you can see, only 11 sensors can fit onto the wafer, with the remaining space being too close to the edge of the wafer to fit in another sensor. With the much smaller sensors used in consumer digicams, you'd be able to fit literally dozens and dozens of sensors onto that wafer...
