Sensors Made Light-Sensitive

The Consumer Systems Group of the Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector in Chandler, Ariz., and Eastman Kodak in Rochester, N.Y., have developed a tiny filmless camera using Motorola's patented ImageMOS technology. ImageMOS is used to produce complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors, which are smaller than the tip of a pencil eraser and record images much as film cameras do.
Traditionally, the problem with CMOS sensors has been their lack of sensitivity to light. Motorola's ImageMOS produces CMOS sensors that are four times as light-sensitive as their predecessors, making them comparable in performance to charge-coupled devices. The companies say the new sensors can incorporate on-board analog-to-digital converters. The cameras likely will find their way into communications and protective devices.