“As the “eyes” of Electronic equipment, image sensors have become the focus of market attention in recent years and become a hot field in the semiconductor industry. At present, CCD image sensor and CMOS image sensor (CIS) are two image sensors that are commonly used. Today, we will understand the characteristics and applications of these two sensors.

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As the “eyes” of electronic equipment, image sensors have become the focus of market attention in recent years and become a hot field in the semiconductor industry. At present, CCD image sensor and CMOS image sensor (CIS) are two image sensors that are commonly used. Today, we will understand the characteristics and applications of these two sensors.

The CMOS image sensor industry chain is mainly composed of upstream chip design companies, midstream foundries, packaging companies, and downstream module manufacturers and end customers. The pull of CMOS on the supply chain is reflected in the upper, lower and midstream.

product type

The two main imaging technologies for image sensors are CCD (charge coupled device) and CMOS. Generally speaking, CCD has lower noise, better uniformity between pixels, and has a reputation for better image quality. CMOS sensors provide a higher level of integration-reducing the complexity of the circuit designer’s work-and reducing power consumption.

There are other types of sensors, such as NMOS sensors for spectroscopy, miniature photometers to provide sensitivity for infrared thermal imaging, and special applications may use photodiode arrays connected to custom amplifier circuits.

Features

As a camera device, CCD image sensor has the advantages of small size, light weight, low power consumption, long life, low working voltage, high sensitivity, high resolution, wide dynamic range, and high geometric accuracy of photosensitive elements compared with camera tubes. A series of advantages such as wide spectral response range, good shock resistance and impact resistance, and immunity from electromagnetic field interference.

Compared with CCD, CMOS has the advantages of small size, low power consumption, and low price. Compared with CCD products, CMOS is a standard process. Existing semiconductor equipment can be used without additional investment equipment, and the quality can be improved with the improvement of semiconductor technology. It is worth noting that there are many CMOS production lines in global fabs, and mass production is also conducive to cost reduction.

Application area

CCD can be divided into two types: linear and area. The linear type is used in image scanners and fax machines, while the area type is mainly used in digital cameras (DSC), camcorders, and surveillance cameras. Cameras and many other image input products. In addition to large-scale applications in digital cameras, CCD image sensors are also widely used in cameras, scanners, and industrial fields.

The application range of CMOS sensors is becoming more and more extensive, including mobile phones, digital cameras, video conferencing, computer cameras, smart security systems, and automotive reversing video radars. In terms of industrial production, infrared image sensors are becoming a key part of many production processes. With the reduction of the cost of infrared image sensors and the birth of various new technologies, sensors with new architectures and new algorithms are playing an increasingly important role in industrial production, which can save costs and achieve automation.

In recent years, there has been no greater push for CMOS image sensors than the popularity of smart phones. With the advancement of CMOS image sensor technology, including the rise of back-illuminated, stacked and other technologies, as well as dual-camera designs have emerged one after another and become a new selling point for smartphones.

In the future, the market sales of CMOS image sensors are expected to increase further. From the perspective of product technology development trends, whether it is CCD or CMOS, miniaturization, intelligence, and high pixelization are still the industry’s active research and development goals. Combining image sensor + lidar to provide solutions is expected to win the favor of more car manufacturers.

In the camera vision system, the most important thing is to focus the optical image of the detection target on the processing and analysis of all image information. Whether it is a CCD or CMOS image sensor, as the core component of photoelectric conversion in the vision system, the quality of the lens directly determines the overall performance of the vision system. Therefore, choosing the right lens and designing the imaging light path is one of the important links in a good vision system. .