Written by Jonny Williamson

Hoping to offset a market share dwindling in the face of global competition, the Japanese technology giant has been focused of late on developing a superior assembly technique for their image sensor production.

CMOS image sensors are used in portable devices ranging from smartphones to medical endoscopes, powering the camera and managing the subsequent data. Traditionally the sensors have been manufactured by placing them alongside the necessary processing logic on the same chip, backed by a supporting substrate. The new method layers the image sensor on top of the processing logic using separate chips, therefore eliminating the need for the substrate. By reducing the overall surface of the area, more space can be available for the processing, as well as allowing the two chips to be manufactured separately. Sony has stated they may potentially outsource the logic production in the future so as to focus on the image sensors, a particular strength for them.

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The new production technique could mean benefits to both consumer and corporation alike. The improved logic processing allows superior picture clarity due to an increased pixel rate, better images from low-light conditions, higher image speeds, improved dynamic range of video recordings, as well as lower power consumption overall. Sony can take advantage of the reduced manufacturing costs, something they’ll be keen to reap sooner rather than later due to the losses the company has been recently experiencing from their television division.  Production capacity can also be raised with more chips able to be made from the same volume of raw materials.  

Sample shipments of image sensors assembled using the new method are due to begin in March this year, though initially just for the smartphone market. If successfully adopted however, Sony is thought to start mass production as soon as this autumn, implementing the sensor throughout their extensive range of electrical products.

Sony also outsources their camera units for other companies to utilize, with the most widely known about being for Apple’s iPhone 4 and 4S. Restricted in depth by the widest component, Sony’s previous camera unit, the 4 and 4S were almost identical in design. If the new slimmed-down image sensor is implemented in time for the release of the iPhone 5, it could radically change the design of the handsets exterior, resulting in a much thinner and sleeker aesthetic.