TowerJazz and PIXELPLUS introduce State-of-the-Art HD and FHD SoC Security Sensor with Unprecedented Performance using TPSCo’s Leading 65nm CIS Process Technology

Sensor targeting the booming Security Camera Market, especially in China, and expects to provide TowerJazz with tens of millions growing to over one hundred million in annual revenues

TowerJazz, the global specialty foundry leader, TowerJazz Panasonic Semiconductor Co. (TPSCo), the leading analog foundry in Japan, and PIXELPLUS, a leading supplier of image sensors and imaging solutions, announced today they have collaborated to produce a state-of-the-art HD and FHD (full high-definition) SoC security sensor with unprecedented performance using TPSCo’s leading 65nm CMOS image sensor (CIS) process. Production is expected to start at the beginning of 2016 at TPSCo’s 12” fab in Japan.

PIXELPLUS successfully embedded image signal processing (ISP) and HD-Analog transmission function into one integrated CMOS image sensor (CIS) — for the first time in the world. Embedding the HD-transmission function into a CMOS image sensor enables image data transmission over coaxial cables to distances longer than 500 meters, but typically it generates a lot of heat and noise which degrade the quality of the image. PIXELPLUS succeeded in combining three separate chips into one CMOS image sensor without degradation of image quality, enabled by using TPSCo’s 65nm CIS process.

This breakthrough technology for the security/surveillance market is meeting the needs of a new era of digital data transmission in FHD/HD sensors and due to its very low dark current performance, permits the extremely high performance that is now required by security sensors especially in low light conditions. TPSCo’s 65nm process supports high resolution imaging, fulfilling the demand for high definition solutions in the surveillance market. This benefit leads to cost-effective CIS sensors with high quality imaging, helping PIXELPLUS maintain its number one position worldwide in the security/surveillance market, which includes 34% market share in 2014 by dominating VGA. According to a report from Yole, the security sensor market is estimated to grow from $140 million in 2014 to $353 million in 2020, a CAGR of 17%.

TPSCo’s 65nm CIS process offers higher resolution and sensitivity and low noise architectures compared to competitive processes and will enable PIXELPLUS to expand its business from security/surveillance to various other markets requiring higher resolution such as automotive, industrial and the IoT. TPSCo’s 65nm CIS technology supports the needs of image sensitivity, high dynamic range, low dark current and noise ratio for optical sensors used in security and surveillance applications. Extensive experience in the imaging field combined with in-house CIS technology development enables TowerJazz to meet future market requirements of advanced technology in WDR, high speed frame rate, and IR sensor, among others.

“Through our collaboration with TPSCo, we were able to produce an HD and FHD SoC security sensor with unprecedented performance. We are excited to begin production as this type of business growth to FHD/HD is expected to provide us with a significant contribution in revenues and will keep PIXELPLUS on top in the future with the world’s best image quality for CMOS image sensors,” said Mr. Seo-Kyu Lee, Chief Executive Officer, PIXELPLUS. “Furthermore, we are happy with the close cooperation on development between our R&D team and the pixel experts of TowerJazz, and we have no doubt our collaboration will bring a successful outcome in terms of quality and production volume. We anticipate cooperating with TowerJazz as a strategic partner for additional innovative devices in the future.”

“We look forward to expanding our relationship with PIXELPLUS and supporting the expected boom in the security market especially in China where we aim to take a lead position,” said Mr. Russell Ellwanger, Chief Executive Officer, TowerJazz and Chairman of TPSCo. “This partnership between PIXELPLUS, TowerJazz and TPSCo combines the utmost in technology, engineering and manufacturing excellence. The leadership of PIXELPLUS in the surveillance market, combined with our best in class 65nm CIS process, enables breakthrough technology which can be applied to other markets requiring higher resolution, such as automotive sensors, in which we also have extensive manufacturing experience.”