TAIWAN: CCD gets overtaken by CMOS sensors

The explosive mobile phone market has boosted the demand for CMOS sensors. According to Strategy Analytics, the accumulated shipment of camera phones is estimated at 1 billion units. By year 2011, one-third of the worldwide population will own camera phones. Because of this strong market force, the shipment of CMOS sensors has overtaken the CCD sensors.



The top global CMOS sensor vendors are Micron, Samsung, STMicroelectronics, Omni Vision, Toshiba, Kodak, Avago and Cypress. Most of them are IDM companies with manufacturing resources. DRAM-based vendors like Micron and Samsung with specialized manufacturing facilities have a technology edge over other vendors.



GOING FABLESS

Unlike multinational companies, most CMOS sensor manufacturers in Taiwan are fabless companies. PixArt Imaging Inc. is on one of the local fables companies that design CMOS sensors and related ICs. Sen Huang, chief executive officer of PixArt, said, “Our image sensors are integrated with proprietary image sensing technologies and features such as low voltage, low cost, and small dimensions. These make our sensors ideal for digital imaging applications and products such as digital cameras, digital video cameras, optical mouse, PC cameras, teleconferencing systems, security and surveillance systems, PDAs, mobile phones, toys, biological identification systems, etc. ”

Besides CMOS image sensors, PixArt also provides object tracking technology for Nintendo’s new-generation gaming controller “Wii.” PixArt’s multi-object tracking engine (MOT sensor) technology can track multiple objects quickly and spontaneously. Huang said that PixArt’s MOT sensor offers the highest performance in the market. “The sensor can simulate every realistic operation in the computer game. This tracking technology will enhance features of game consoles and overturn traditional user experience in entertainment,” he added.



CHANGING SCENE

The growing opportunities in CMOS sensor market have already captured the attention of fab manufacturers. A few Taiwan fab manufacturers are now planning to invest on CMOS sensor-related projects. They are stepping into the CMOS sensor industry in two ways. One is to invest in fabless; the other is to extend manufacturing resources to include CMOS sensor.



For example, VisEra Technology Co., a company that offers back-end services for image capturing ICs and modules, is a joint venture between TSMC and Omni Vision Technologies. Lora Ho, TSMC vice president and chief financial officer, said that, “We [TSMC] partnered with Omni Vision to establish VisEra to integrate back-end manufacturing services for image sensors, including color filters.”



Meanwhile, DRAM-based manufacturer ProMOS Technologies recently signed a technology license agreement with Toppan Printing to manufacture CMOS image sensors. Dr. Min-Liang Chen, chairman and president of ProMOS said, “We plan to manufacture CMOS image sensors in our 300mm production line, named Fab2, located at Hsin-chu Science Park. We are confident that sensors manufactured in this production facility will achieve both performance and cost.” Chen added, “We anticipated that our technology cooperation with Toppan Printing will diversify ProMOS’ product portfolio and establish the know how of CIS manufacturing. By leveraging the expertise of Toppan Printing’s proprietary technology, we will position as a comprehensive CIS manufacturing service provider.”



Aside from ProMOS, other DRAM-based manufacturer like Powerchip Semiconductor and Omni Vision also invested on Silicon Optronics, a local fabless company focused on designing CMOS image sensors.



Now capable to provide the complete supply chain from front-end design to back-end services, Taiwan’s CMOS image sensor industry is set to capture a big piece of the sensor market. Locally-designed and manufactured CMOS sensors will soon be widely adapted in various kinds of applications.