Agilent Technologies introduces 1.3-Megapixel image sensor

October 11, 2005, Palo Alto, CA--Agilent Technologies has introduced a single-chip 1.3 megapixel CMOS image sensor featuring an enhanced-performance (EP) pixel architecture that allows mobile phones and computing devices to take sharper, truer color photos in all lighting conditions. The new image sensor, with its 10X reduction in noise, eliminates the CMOS-CCD image-quality gap and targets high-image-quality megapixel mobile phone, computing, security and industrial applications.

The sensor's on-chip image processing and JPEG compression eliminates the need for a companion chip and reduces design complexity. Agilent's proprietary EP pixel architecture leverages several design innovations, such as 3-D pixel e-field shaping, to better address the three major challenges faced by all CMOS image sensors: keeping noise down in very low-light conditions, maintaining true color uniformity for sharpness and color accuracy, and improving pixel consistency through reduced manufacturing variability.

"The sensor is the critical link in capturing high-quality light data and feeding the image processor with the most signal, least noise and sharpest definition raw data," said Feisal Mosleh, director of Mobile Imaging Marketing in Agilent's Semiconductor Products Group.