Sony Corporation says they have developed a back-lit CMOS image sensor that delivers much better imaging; the new image sensor is nearly twice as sensitive to light and has low-noise characteristics.
Sony says this improved performance has been achieved by illuminating the backside of the silicon substrate, in contrast to conventional CMOS image sensors based on front-illumination technology.
The newly developed CMOS image sensor achieves a signal-to-noise ratio of +8dB (+6dB sensitivity, -2dB noise) in comparison to existing Sony CMOS image sensors of the same pixel size. Sony will apply this back-illuminated CMOS technology in consumer digital video camcorders and digital still cameras to deliver an even higher quality image experience.
[Via: Sony.net]