Suitable for scientific and medical imaging, machine vision, and intelligent transportation systems.

ON Semiconductor (Nasdaq: ON) is upgrading the imaging performance required for a variety of industrial applications with technology that improves near-infrared CCD image sensors.

One of ON Semiconductor’s CCD-related product portfolios that incorporates this technology is the 8-megapixel KAI-08052 image sensor, which doubles the sensitivity in the near-infrared wavelength and is now available as a standard for the company’s interline transfer CCD pixel design. Interline transfer refers to a method of transferring accumulated charges through a transfer path called a vertical transfer CCD installed between rows of pixels.

This improved sensitivity is very suitable for scientific and medical imaging devices that extract near-infrared wavelengths of light. In addition, machine vision systems and intelligent transportation systems that require near-infrared light to inspect objects more accurately or distinguish them from car license plates also require this high sensitivity, so the application fields are very wide.

The CCD pixel design used in the KAI-08052 device significantly expands the electron capture region within the silicon device, ultimately resulting in better capture of electrons generated by long-wavelength photons. Depth pixels improve detection of near-infrared wavelengths by up to 2x, depending on the wavelength.

This well structure also separates each photodiode, resulting in improved near-infrared sensitivity without compromising image clarity.

“As camera manufacturers and end users demand products based on both CCD and CMOS technologies, we will continue to advance all of these technologies in parallel,” said Herb Erhardt, vice president and general manager, Industrial and Security, Image Sensor Group at ON Semiconductor. “The KAI-08052 offers significant improvements in near-infrared sensitivity over standard pixel designs, and we expect to see continued adoption of this technology in a variety of applications.”

The KAI-08052 is housed in a ROHS compliant CPGA-67 package and is available in monochrome, Bayer color, and Sparse Color array modes. Fully pin-compatible with the existing KAI-08051 image sensor as well as 5.5 µm and 7.4 µm CCD image sensors, this device is expected to gain rapid acceptance by camera manufacturers.