CMOS Image Sensors Promise CCD-Like Performance

The KAC-0310 VGA sensor and KAC-1310 megapixel sensor are the latest additions to the Kodak Digital Science line of image sensors and the first to be based on CMOS technology. Both devices utilize the company's patented "pinned diode" active pixel structure, which the company says provides significantly higher ISO capability compared to other CMOS devices. The highly integrated image sensors feature on-chip timing, programming control, analog signal processing, and a 10-bit a/d converter to deliver a "camera-on-a-chip" imaging solution.
The VGA sensor is a 640 x 480 pixel array in 1/3" optical format that incorporates the company's "global shutter" technology. It operates with a single 3.3V power supply and requires only a single master clock to operate. The 1.3 megapixel sensor shares many of the same features of the VGA model, but employs a 1,280 x 1,024 pixel array in a 1/2" optical format. Sensor output is eight or 10 bits and supports both progressive and interlace scan modes.
The sensors come in both monochrome and color versions, with and without microlenses, which further enhance sensitivity. The color devices are available in both Bayer and complementary array patterns and utilize the company's proprietary filter materials. The VGA model is available now, while sample quantities of the 1.3 megapixel sensor will be available by the end of the year.