Samsung expands 0.7 micrometre image sensor lineup

Samsung Electronics has launched four mobile image sensors with 0.7μm sized pixels, the company said.

The small pixel size will allow cameras to be more powerful while still allowing smartphones to remain thinly designed, the South Korean tech giant said.

The four image sensors are the 108MP Isocell HM2, 64MP Isocell GW3 that supports 4K 60 frame per second video filming, 48MP Isocell GM5 that supports ultrawide and folded zoom, and 32MP Isocell JD1.

Conventionally, smaller pixels in image sensors absorb less light, which results in a lower quality picture.

Samsung has touted, however, that the new image sensors will use new materials and the company's own optical structure for pixels to minimise loss of light and interruptions between pixels, the company said.

The pixels also optimise optical image stabilisation to minimise noise, Samsung claimed.

With the shift to 0.7μm pixels from 0.8μm pixels, the size of the 108MP sensor will be reduced by 15%, the company added.

The HM2, GW3, and JD1 are currently being mass-produced while the company provides samples of GM5 to customers, it added.

Samsung first launched 1.0μm pixel image sensors in 2015 and has been progressively making them smaller since. 

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