SmartSens’ First Linear CMOS Image Sensor Brings Fast, High-Quality, 4K Vision Outputs to Industrial Line Scan Cameras

Shanghai, China, December 8, 2022 SmartSens Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (SSE STAR MARKET: 688213), a technologically-advanced CMOS image sensor supplier, recently announced its first linear CMOS Image Sensor (CIS), SC430LA. Employing SmartSens’ proprietary technologies including SmartGS^®-2 and analog circuit, the 4K resolution, high-speed, BSI SC430LA image sensor features trilinear color mode, 32x analog gain, high stability, high precision, low noise, high line rate, etc., bringing fast, high-quality vision outputs with rich details to all-day industrial line scan cameras.

Main features

4K vision outputs with accurate colors and rich details

With the continuous development of intelligent manufacturing, more and more automated production lines are introducing industrial CISs to improve the efficiency and quality of production. Industrial CISs used in automated production lines shall provide stable, precise, and reliable image data during their all-day operation in hazardous environments such as high temperature, dust, and corrosion. Equipped with the advanced analog circuit, SC430LA can achieve up to 32x analog gain. A higher gain makes the image brighter, which requires the decreased brightness of the light source, thus reducing the heat and improving the efficiency of the whole machine vision system. This contributes to the high stability of the machine vision system’s capturing real-time, reliable image data constantly. Employing SmartGS^®-2 technology, the BSI SC430LA image sensor has Quantum Efficiency (QE) of up to 77% at the 500nm wavelength, which is 10% higher than linear CISs with the same resolution in the industry, enabling precise 4K vision outputs under low-illumination conditions.

Left: real-time image; Top right: real-time single-line image; Bottom right: slow playback image

In addition, SmartSens’ proprietary ultra-low noise readout circuit and upgraded color processing technologies lead to SC430LA’s excellent performance in noise control and color reproduction. The Fixed-Pattern Noise (FPN) and Photo Response Non-Uniformity (PRNU) of SC430LA are reduced to 0.28e- and 0.53%, respectively. The Dark Current (DC) of SC430LA is 51% lower than linear CISs with the same resolution in the industry. These result in the enhanced quality of SC430LA’s image capture with better color accuracy and richer image details, which fully meets the needs for high-precision CISs in the production lines.

Trilinear color mode for high-quality full-color imaging

SC430LA has both monochrome and color versions. The monochrome version supports 1-line, 2-line, and 3-line modes. With its 3-line mode enabled, the monochrome SC430LA reaches a line rate of up to 100KHz, equivalent to that of linear CISs with the same resolution in the industry in 2-line mode. The monochrome SC430LA achieves a maximum line rate of 200KHz in 1-line mode, which can greatly improve the detection efficiency of line scan cameras, thereby supporting the upgrades of the industrial inspection industry efficiently. The color version of SC430LA supports bilinear mode and trilinear mode. The trilinear color mode can further enhance image quality by retaining more image details and reproducing true-to-life image colors, hence enabling clear, full-color image outputs.

SC430LA also features low power supply voltage of 1.8V and 3.3V, which can support customers to realize optimized power distribution in a more cost-effective way.

“The transformation and upgrade of the manufacturing industry bring huge demands for high-end industrial cameras, and hence machine vision has become an essential field with a promising market potential,” said James Ouyang, Deputy General Manager at SmartSens Technology. “SmartSens’ first linear CIS, SC430LA, marks our expansion of machine vision applications from the consumer market to the industrial market, bringing about new business growth and potential for the company. While developing more CIS solutions for industrial machine vision applications, SmartSens will continue its dedication to the growth of multiple CIS product lines, providing high-performance CIS solutions for customers of various industries.”

SC430LA is sampling now and will be mass-produced in Q1 2023. For more information or to request a sample, please contact SmartSens Sales Representatives: cs@smartsenstech.com

About SmartSens Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

SmartSens Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (SSE STAR MARKET: 688213) is a high-performance CMOS image sensor (CIS) chip design company. It is headquartered in Shanghai and has research centers in many cities around the world. SmartSens has been dedicated to pushing forward the frontier of imaging technology and growing in popularity among customers since it was established. SmartSens’ CMOS image sensors provide advanced imaging solutions for a broad range of areas such as surveillance, machine vision, automotive and cellphone cameras. SmartSens is committed to continuous innovation of products and fueling growth in numerous industries by delivering a more comprehensive portfolio of image sensors. Learn more at SmartSensTech.com.