world's largest CMOS image sensor

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Canon's ultra-large-scale CMOS sensor (left)
alongside a 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor









Recently Canon has announced that they have developed the world's largest CMOS image sensor with a chip size of 202 x 205 mm..!!!

Guys who are so into gadgets and all, can easily know what canon has actually developed.But a normal man will never know what is developed by canon.So let me just help you guys with a little information regarding what this CMOS image sensor is. Well for more details.. you will always have the wikipedia or other sources... but who has the time in this fast forwarding world...??!!

First, what is CMOS...? Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor(CMOS) its a technology for constructing integrated circuits.This technology is also used in the construction of image sensors.

Now , what is an image sensor...? Its a device which converts an optical image to an electric signal.Its used in digital cameras and other imaging devices.Today the modern sensers are mainly CMOS active pixel sensors.

One more question may arise.. what are active pixel sensor ? Active pixel sensor (APS) is also an image sensor consisting of an integrated circuit containing an array of pixel sensors.

Now you know(briefly) what is a CMOS image sensor.Canon has developed one of these with the largest size.

You know..in earlier times , enlarging the size of the sensor resulted in an increase in the amount of time required between the receiving and transmission of data signals, which posed a challenge to achieving high-speed readout. Canon, however, solved this problem through an innovative circuit design, making possible the realization of a massive video-compatible CMOS sensor. Additionally, by ensuring the cleanest of cleanroom environments during the production process, the sensor minimizes image imperfections and dust.

With a measurement of 202 x 205, its the largest that can be produced from a 12inch wafer.It is approximately 40 times the size of current Canon's largest commercial CMOS sensor.

You may be wondering in the world where in everything is going smaller, why would somebody bothered to make a big one...!! But it has its own advantages.. because of this size of the sensor,it makes possible the image capture in one one-hundredth the amount of light required by a 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor, facilitating the shooting of 60 frame-per-second video with a mere 0.3 lux of illumination...!!

Now finally its application....

• Video recording of the stars in the night sky.
• also to record nocturnal animal behavior. ( What we see n enjoy in discovery channel...)
  

Well thats it... see you in the next post....