Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Corporation’s Kumamoto Technology Center
Those are good news! I particulary liked this part: “Sony will increase production capacity for mainly large sized “Exmor” used in Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras“!
PRESS RELEASE (via Sony.net):
September 1, 2010, Tokyo, Japan – Sony Corporation (hereafter, “Sony”) today announced that Sony would invest approximately 40 billion yen into Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Corporation’s Kumamoto Technology Center (hereafter, “Kumamoto TEC”), to increase production capacity for “Exmor” and “Exmor R” CMOS image sensors. This investment comprises of an amount previously determined to be invested in the second half of fiscal year 2010, which was included in the forecast for the capital expenditures announced at the earnings announcement for the first quarter ended June 30, 2010, in addition to an amount to be invested in fiscal year 2011.
With this investment, Sony will strengthen its production capacity for image sensors to meet the expected increase in market demand, and continue to solidify its global leadership position in image sensors.
These market conditions have led to greater demand for larger image sensors and image sensors with higher image capabilities.
In order to meet these market demands, Sony currently provides two CMOS image sensor models: “Exmor” , which adopts the “Column-Parallel A/D Conversion Technique”, providing each column within the sensor with its own A/D converter to reduce noise; and “Exmor R”, which applies a back-illuminated structure to enhance image characteristics through high sensitivity and reduced noise.
Since 2009, Sony has been mass producing “Exmor R” for Digital Still Cameras and Digital Video Camcorders on wafer lines (with diameter of 200mm) at Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Corporation’s Nagasaki Technology Center. Furthermore, at the end of this year Sony plans to start the mass production of “Exmor R” on wafer lines (with diameter of 300mm) at Kumamoto TEC for mobile phone and compact Digital Still Camera markets.
With the investment announced today, Kumamoto TEC’s CMOS image sensor production capacity will be further increased, and Sony will strengthen its ability to meet the expected market demand for “Exmor R” used in smartphones as well as a wide range of digital imaging products for consumer and professional use, including compact Digital Still Cameras. In addition, Sony will increase production capacity for mainly large sized “Exmor” used in Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras.
Investment Overview
| Purpose of investment: | Increase production capacity to meet the increasing demand of CMOS image sensors |
| Investment site: | Kumamoto Technology Center, Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Corporation (Kikuchi-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture) |
| Investment details: | Wafer processing equipment for CMOS image sensor production, etc. |
| Investment time frame: | From the second half of fiscal year 2010 through fiscal year 2011 |
| Investment amount: | Approximately 40 billion yen |
| Production Capacity (Wafer Process/300mm wafers): | 25,000 wafers per month (Before investment this time: 18,500 wafers per month) -Of them, the capacity for image sensors will be 22,500 wafers per month (Before investment this time: 16,000 wafers per month) (Total production capacity of Kumamoto TEC Fab 1 and 2) |
| Outline of Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Corporation | |
| (1) Head office: | 2-3-2 Momochihama, Sawara-ku Fukuoka-shi Japan |
| (2) Establishment: | April 1, 2001 |
| (3) Representative Director (President): | Masanori Okayama |
| (4) Capital: | 24.25 billion yen, fully owned by Sony Corporation |
| (5) Production Bases: | Kagoshima, Oita, Nagasaki and Kumamoto |
| (6) Number of employees: | Approximately 9,000 (including contract and temporary employees) as of March 31, 2010 |
| (7) Business Activities: | Development, design and production of semiconductors, etc. |
| Kumamoto Technology Center | |
| (1) Location: | 4000-1 Haramizu, Kikuyomachi Kikuchigun, Kumamoto, Japan |
| (2) Establishment: | October 1, 2001 |
| (3) Site area: | 256,000-square-meter |
| (4) Floor area: | 195,000-square-meter |
| (5) Main products:; | Image sensors (CCD and CMOS), micro display devices (H-LCD and “SXRD”, etc.) |
Thanks R.K. for sending me the link!
11 Responses
this is great news!! for sure this a good sign of the intentions of sony to produce more high end cameras. the future is bright
Cheers, Josh
An album of Pantera comes to my mind.. It was called “Vulgar display of power”.. 😀
Sometimes I would like to escape from Sony but I heard that the CMOS of iphone 4 is actually EXMOR R…… Too many Sony photography products in my hands, haha 😛
SXRD? I though Sony abandoned this crap after tons of failures and complete removal of like… 2 TV models, or something. I heard it’s capable of having superb image quality, beyond what we see currently in LCD TVs/screens, yet it wasn’t very resistant.
The should be able to get 54 “full frame” 24x36mm sensors on a single 300mm wafer.
What’s not said, but frequently a fruit from this type of infrastructure investment, is that Sony may be able to mass produce more advanced image sensors, too. That is, it’s current facilities may not be able to mass produce some of the advances we see in Sony’s patents. So, not only will some of the new wafer fab equipment be used to produce 300mm wafers of current designs, the new equipment may be necessary to produce some of the newly patented image sensor designs. For example, this *may* be the investment that is necessary produce those so-called three-well / three-layer image sensor designs. (Which would be cool if Sony actually productized those patents)
Of course, all of this is just speculation …
In ISCC 2010 was plenary lecture about Sony success and future plans in image sensor area. Overall they have awesome future plans. Sony wants to surpass human vision: 100Mpix, Super HD video (4K x 2K at 240 frame/s), sensitivity less than 0,1 lux and high speed video 1000fps.
I suggest to watch this presentation video (Challenges of Image-Sensor Development):
http://isscc.org/videos/2010_plenary.html#session1
Thanks, very nice video.
@Leo
Nay, the sensors on iphone4 are provided from omnivision
@Edgars
Great Find! – That was a great video by Mr.Suzuki – I was surprised but encouraged to hear Mr. Suzuki speak English to the audience – that was very gracious of him to do that without a translator.
Regarding his presentation, I was particularly pleased to hear the tenet – “Exceeding Human Vision” and to see their Image Sensor Tri-Axis – That encourages me to know that they are trying to balance all of the metrics – resolution, dynamic Range including sensitivity, as well as (one that I would have missed) – frame rate.
If you like those types of technical discussions, I recommend skimming Sony’s patents periodically.
You may also know about Sony Semiconductor News – http://www.sony.net/Products/SC-HP/cx_news/index.html –
I just found that they have a summary of Mr. Suzuki’s presentation! – go here: http://www.sony.net/Products/SC-HP/cx_news/vol60/pdf/sideview60.pdf
That was very encouraging – Thanks for the find!
b.
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Thank you for links.
Yeasterday I found also small article about Canon Expo 2010 in LL:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/canon-expo.shtml
It’s very interesting, Canon planning the same. I suppose megapixel wars just starting.