Sharp Corp will release a 1/2.3-inch CCD image sensor with a total pixel count of 20.2 million (20.15 million for imaging) for compact digital cameras.
The sensor, "RJ23G3BA0LT," has the industry's highest pixel count of all the 1/2.3-inch CCD image sensors that use an interline transfer method and are designed for compact cameras, Sharp said. The size of its pixel cell is 1.20 x 1.20μm, which is about 20% smaller than that of the "RJ23E3BA0LT," the company's 1/2.3-inch CCD image sensor with a pixel count of 16 million.
With its own light collection technique, Sharp increased the amount of light that the cell takes in while reducing cell size and ensured a sensitivity of 105mV, which is equivalent to that of the RJ23E3BA0LT. Also, it can output high-definition (720p) video with a frame rate of 30fps. Its smear and saturation power are -86dB (standard) and 400mV (minimum), respectively.
Sharp will start to ship samples of the new CCD image sensor April 26, 2012. The price of the sample is ¥2,700 (approx US$33.6, including tax). And the company plans to start volume shipment in August 2012 at a rate of 200,000 units per month.
