Panasonic replaces color filter for image sensors by ‘microprisma’s’

Panasonic has a new technology developed to image sensors much more light-sensitive. To this end, replaces the Japanese company the usual Bayer-color filter by a low with ‘micro color splitters’, which are as tiny prisms act.

In conventional image sensors let, a color filter of the appropriate color light to the light-sensitive surface of the subpixels. A disadvantage of this is that this color filter fifty to seventy percent of the incident light blocks even before this the surface of the sensor is reached. Panasonic now says new technology to have developed that the function of the color filter takes over, but where more light gets through.

To separate the colors, makes Panasonic with its technology, use of a transparent material with a high refractive index, that is thinner than the wavelength of the light. By the difference in refractive index with the support material, act according to Panasonic diffraction and color separation. By the optimization of a number of variables is, according to the company, an efficient separation of the light in a specific color and its complementary color mogelijjk, with only very little loss of light occurs.

Because of the overlapping nature of the split light from the micro color splitter had Panasonic a new pixelconfiguratie design for a precise color reproduction to guarantee. On the basis of an algorithm can then use the rgb-colors can be derived. Panasonic has developed a new, rapid method is found for the wave motion of light with great accuracy, to analyze and to calculate.

The new technique, described in a Nature Photonics article of 3 February, delivers according to Panasonic a image sensor with a light sensitivity which is twice as high as in a conventional Bayer-sensor. The micro color splitters can via current solid-state technology to be produced and the technology can be used in both ccd – like cmos sensors.