OmniVision Technologies has announced its OmniPixel3-HS architecture that incorporates a new pixel design that doubles the sensitivity of its 1.75-micron OmniPixel3 architecture to 960-millivolts per lux-second. The performance of the new OmniPixel3-HS architecture significantly enhances image capture under very low lighting conditions and thus enables a new generation of camera solutions that perform under exceptionally low-light conditions without the need for flash.

The company's R&D team engaged in a focused effort with technology partner TSMC to move more advanced design rules into the current 0.11-micron image technology to support this new pixel architecture. In the process, OmniVision systematically analyzed the performance of more than 100 different pixel designs over 100 different process variations to arrive at the OmniPixel3-HS design.

OmniPixel3-HS is a symmetric pixel design that eliminates color shading across the image plane. Combined with a low stack height, the OmniPixel3-HS pixel delivers a sharp, clear and accurate color image across the entire image plane. The new pixel cuts fundamental noise sources in half, significantly increasing the internal pixel gain and the quantum efficiency to provide a sensor with superior low light performance and improved performance in all lighting conditions.

As Michael Hepp, product marketing manager at OmniVision, points out, the technology can be applied to all pixel sizes. This includes larger pixels often required by the military who are usually seeking responses where there is no visible light at all — pitch black — or in the near infrared.

OmniVision Technologies designs and markets high-performance semiconductor image sensors. Its products are highly integrated, single-chip CMOS image sensors for digital still cameras, security and surveillance systems.

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