OmniVision Technologies, Inc., a leading independent supplier of CMOS image sensors, today introduced the world's first 1/3-inch, 8 megapixel CMOS image sensor. The new OV8810 is the company's first CameraChip product to use its recently launched 1.4 micron OmniBSI(TM) backside illumination technology.


OmniBSI technology delivers best-in-class low light sensitivity in a small footprint, making it ideal for ultra-thin camera module designs for next generation mobile phones and other mobile applications. Backside illumination represents a radical, new approach to traditional CMOS image sensor technology, essentially inverting the sensor to collect light from the backside, which offers the most direct path for light to strike the pixel. This result is a greatly improved fill factor, greater quantum efficiency and significantly reduced cross-talk, which means both greater sensitivity and better color reproduction.


"The OV8810 is a truly innovative product that puts OmniVision at the forefront of digital imaging technology, and gives early adopters a strong competitive advantage by enabling the design of ultra-thin, high-performance camera phones," said Grahame Cooney, Product Marketing Director at OmniVision. "Bringing BSI technology to commercialization in the OV8810 so quickly following its development is evidence of our strong commitment to keeping OmniVision and our customers at the leading edge of imaging technology."


The OV8810's BSI architecture not only enables a reduced sensor size, but also a lower stack height, which means it can achieve a higher chief ray angle (CRA). A higher CRA allows for lower height lenses and thinner camera modules and, due to higher tolerance to CRA changes, easier zooms-all of which enable simpler and more robust mobile phone designs.


The 1/3-inch OV8810 is small enough to fit within an 8.5 x 8.5 x 7 mm camera module and can output data in full 8 megapixel resolution at 10 frames per second (fps). It captures 720p high definition (HD) video at 60 fps, or 1080p at 30 fps. In QVGA resolution, the sensor can achieve data output at 120 fps, ideal for slow motion video. The OV8810 supports 8-/10-/12-bit RAW RGB data over a 2-lane high speed MIPI interface or parallel interface. The OV8810 also supports all common automatic image control functions, including exposure, gain, white balance, luminance detection and black level calibration.


The OV8810 will be available for sampling in the coming weeks, and OmniVision expects to begin volume production in the first quarter of 2009.