Q+A CENTER

To address the above challenges requires a mixture of circuit design and process technology. It is only by working with its foundry partner that the challenges can be met. The latest CMOS pixel architecture provides a 50% improvement in chief ray angle and reduces the module height by 10% or more.

What is the chief ray angle of a sensor and why is it important to theoverall quality of the camera?

The chief ray angle is a measurement of the maximum angle a ray that passes through the center of the lens can take and still reach the outer edge of the sensor. Above that angle, the intensity of the received light is less than 50% of what is received on a diode placed at the center of the sensor. The larger we can make the angle, the more light is processed, resulting in better picture quality. Currently, most CMOS sensors have a chief ray angle of less than 20 degrees. The increase in chief ray angle provides greater light sensitivity at the shortest possible track height. IC Media's latest pixel designs achieve a chief ray angle of 30 degrees. This innovation provides image quality that approaches that of CCDs with a very low track height.

The cell phone camera combination is an established product that raisesa number of issues. Without discussing legal and ethical standards ofthe product and its uses, can you outline what you see as the major trendsfor this market?

Originally designed as an add-on component to the popular handheld games, the cell phone camera became an overnight hit in Japan. The early image of the kid's toy has now been supplanted by a wide area of practical application. Reuters News Agency has supplied a number of their reporters with the higher quality phone cameras for overseas assignments where a snapshot is often all they need to illustrate a story. Insurance adjusters are taking pictures of accidents to expedite estimates. The major trend that we are seeing is for better and more expensive cameras attached to phones to be used in business applications. In early 2005, we will see 2 Megapixel camera phones with automatic focus. In late 2005, we will see 3 Megapixel camera phones with optical zoom and flash strobes.