Samsung develops new CMOS image sensor technology in cooperation with Fujifilm

Samsung Electronics unveiled new “ISOCELL Plus” technology that allows CMOS image sensors to capture more light, greatly increasing light sensitivity and color reproduction. The new technology was developed in collaboration with Fujifilm and is designed primarily for smartphone cameras, which will now be able to get more accurate and clear photos in difficult lighting conditions.

To produce high-quality images, CMOS sensors must capture as much light or photons as possible and send the correct color information to the photodiode. These were made possible by the introduction of Samsung’s ISOCELL technology back in 2013. The technology involves creating a physical barrier, in the form of a metal grid, between neighboring pixels that reduces crosstalk, thereby increasing the total pixel capacity. This allows each pixel to absorb and retain more light than a conventional backlit image sensor BSI design.

With the introduction of ISOCELL Plus, Samsung takes pixel isolation technology to the next level. In the current pixel structure, the metal grid sits on top of the photodiodes, which leads to some optical loss as metals tend to reflect and/or absorb incoming light. For ISOCELL Plus, Samsung replaced metal with a new innovative material developed by Fujifilm that minimizes optical loss and light reflection.

“We value our strategic relationship with Samsung and would like to congratulate the completion of ISOCELL Plus development,” said Naoto Yanagihara, vice president of Fujifilm. “This development is an important milestone for us because it marks the first commercial use of our new material. Through our ongoing collaboration with Samsung, we plan to bring more meaningful innovations to mobile cameras.”.

ISOCELL Plus provides higher color rendering and improves light sensitivity by up to 15 percent. The technology also makes it possible to use 0.8-micron or even smaller pixels in CMOS sensors without any loss of image quality, which makes it possible to develop cameras with high resolution of more than 20 megapixels.

“By working closely with Fujifilm, an industry leader in imaging and information technology, we have further pushed the boundaries of CMOS sensor imaging technology,” said Ben Ker, vice president of marketing for System LSI at Samsung Electronics. “ISOCELL Plus will not only enable the development of ultra-high resolution sensors with incredibly small pixel sizes, but will also make an undeniable contribution to the development of sensors with larger pixels.”.