Toshiba to Mass Produce 14.6 Megapixel Camera Phone Sensors

Toshiba have announced that they are to mass produce camera phone CMOS sensors that can capture images at 14.6 megapixels.

The new sensors will measure 1/2.3 inches and manufacturing will start in the 3rd quarter of 2010. To build the new camera sensors Toshiba will process them at 65nm on to 300mm wafers with a production rate of about half a million per month.

The new CMOS sensors use a process called back-side illumination that switches the photodiodes around with the multi layer wiring bringing them closer to light thus bringing a 40% increase in light absorption compared to previous Toshiba sensors.

The problem with using high amounts of pixels in a CMOS sensor is that you are typically restricted to a small lens on a camera phone and higher amounts of pixels may or may not get a better image. Also another restriction can be the software used on the phone to process images captured. If the phone manufacturers can address both these functions and get rid of shutter lag then the potential will be a lot higher to get better quality images.

Press Release Via: IntoMobile