Samsung улучшил свои фотосенсоры ISOCELL при помощи японской Fujifilm

В сегодняшнем пресс-релизе Samsung Electronics анонсирована новая технология сенсоров ISOCELL Plus, которая будет применена в новых фотомодулях, предназначенных для мобильных устройств.
Благодаря технологии ISOCELL Plus разработчикам миниатюрных камер удалось повысить светочувствительность, что означает способность захватывать больше света без увеличения паразитных цветовых шумов, что критически важно при съёмке в неблагоприятных условиях (например, в сумерках или плохо освещённом помещении). В результате снимки и видеоролики выглядят значительно лучше, чем это получается у камер прежних поколений. Возросло качество цветопередачи при одновременном улучшении чёткости.
Впервые фирменная технология Samsung ISOCELL была представлена вендором в 2013-м году, а брэндированные фотомодули ISOCELL появились в 2017-м, поскольку подразделение Samsung System LSI также начало продавать их другим производителям мобильных устройств.
Оригинальная технология ISOCELL отличается тем, что между отдельными пикселями формируются физические барьеры, изолирующие пиксели друг от друга. В модифицированной ISOCELL Plus металлические изоляторы заменены инновационным материалом, разработанным японской компанией Fujifilm, которая давно сотрудничает с Samsung в деле создания более совершенных матриц для камер. Применение нового изолирующего материала позволило минимизировать паразитные переотражения света, проходящего сквозь объектив. В результате светочувствительность удалось повысить на внушительные 15%.
Новая технология позволяет создавать миниатюрные камерные модули с разрешением более 20Мп при одновременном улучшении качества цветопередачи и снижении цветовых шумов.
Технология Samsung ISOCELL Plus будет продемонстрирована на очередном Mobile World Congress, который сегодня открывается в Шанхае (Китай).         

Samsung Brings Enhanced Color Accuracy and Sharpness to Mobile Photos with New ISOCELL Plus Technology

Optimized pixel isolation technology enhances light sensitivity and color fidelity

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today introduced its new ‘ISOCELL Plus’ technology, which allows CMOS image sensors to capture more light, significantly increasing light sensitivity and color fidelity. Smartphone consumers can now expect even more accurate and clearer photos in challenging light environments.
To take high-quality photographs, CMOS image sensors need to hold as much light, or photons, as possible and transmit the right color information to the photodiode. Such requirements were resolved by the introduction of Samsung’s ISOCELL technology in 2013. ISOCELL forms a physical barrier between the neighboring pixels, reducing color crosstalk and expanding the full-well capacity. This enables each pixel to absorb and hold more light than the conventional backside-illuminated (BSI) image sensor design for superior image quality.
With the introduction of ISOCELL Plus, Samsung pushes pixel isolation technology to a new level through an optimized pixel architecture. In the existing pixel structure, metal grids are formed over the photodiodes to reduce interference between the pixels, which can also lead to some optical loss as metals tend to reflect and/or absorb the incoming light. For ISOCELL Plus, Samsung replaced the metal barrier with an innovative new material developed by Fujifilm, minimizing optical loss and light reflection.
“We value our strategic relationship with Samsung and would like to congratulate on the completion of the ISOCELL Plus development,” said Naoto Yanagihara, corporate vice president of Fujifilm. “This development is a remarkable milestone for us as it marks the first commercialization of our new material. Through continuous cooperation with Samsung, we anticipate to bring more meaningful innovation to mobile cameras.”
The new ISOCELL Plus delivers higher color fidelity along with up to a 15-percent enhancement in light sensitivity. The technology also enables image sensors to equip 0.8-micrometer (µm) and smaller-sized pixels without any loss in performance, making it an optimal solution for developing super-resolution cameras with over 20 megapixels.
“Through close collaboration with Fujifilm, an industry leader in imaging and information technology, we have pushed the boundaries of CMOS image sensor technology even further,” said Ben K. Hur, vice president of System LSI marketing at Samsung Electronics. “The ISOCELL Plus will not only enable the development of ultra-high-resolution sensors with incredibly small pixel dimensions, but also bring performance advancements for sensors with larger pixel designs.”
The ISOCELL Plus will be showcased at the Mobile World Congress Shanghai, held from June 27 to 29.

Samsung стремится догнать Sony на рынке датчиков изображения

Samsung Electronics Co. стремится сократить разрыв с японским конкурентом Sony Corp. на мировом рынке сенсоров изображений, поскольку этот продуктовый сегмент настроен на резкий рост в связи с растущим спросом со стороны производителей смартфонов и решений в области безопасности.
Промышленный трэкер IC Insights подсчитал годовой объём продаж датчиков изображения на основе технологии CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) и оценил его в 13,7 миллиарда долларов США в 2018 году, что на 10% больше, чем годом ранее. Эксперты ожидают, что эта цифра достигнет гигантской суммы в $19 миллиардов в 2022 году.
«Конструкции CMOS-матриц продолжают улучшатся, позволяя работать при различных уровнях освещённости, высокоскоростной съёмке при лучшем разрешении, а также интегрировать больше функций для конкретных областей применения, таких как видеокамеры наблюдения, машинное зрение в роботах и ​​автомобилях, системы распознавания людей, интерфейсы жестов рук , виртуальная дополненная реальность и медицинские системы», - говорится в отчёте IC Insights.
«В новых смартфонах датчики изображения CMOS также получат импульс для роста с увеличением систем с двумя объективами для улучшения качества фото и видео», - добавляют исследователи.
Sony и Samsung в настоящее время возглавляют глобальный рынок датчиков изображения CMOS, причём японский соперник пока имеет небольшое преимущество.
В 2016 году Sony и Samsung заняли 25,6% и 22,6% рынка соответственно, говорится в отраслевом докладе.
В прошлом году две корпорации занимали соответственно 28,3% и 25,4%. Доля SK hynix Inc., меньшего южнокорейского конкурента Samsung, составила примерно от 8-ми до 9% за тот же период.
Тем не менее, отраслевые наблюдатели говорят, что Sony занимает 50% рынка экспортных продаж, и это намного выше 20%, показанных Samsung.
Всё дело в том, что большую долю выпущенных сенсоров закупает собственное мобильное подразделение южнокорейского гиганта, являющегося глобальным лидером на рынке смартфонов. Однако в подразделении Samsung LSI (разработчик и производитель сенсоров) намерены увеличить поставки и сторонним заказчикам.
В июне прошлого года Samsung запустил собственный брэнд сенсоров изображения ISOCELL, подобно тому, как Sony закрепила аналогичный продуктовый брэнд Exmor, сообщает информационное агентство Yonhap News.

Samsung seeks to catch up with Sony in image sensor market

Samsung Electronics Co. is seeking to narrow its gap with Japanese rival Sony Corp. in the global image sensor market, industry watchers said Thursday, as the segment is set to post sharp growth down the road on rising demand from smartphones and security solutions.
Industry tracker IC Insights estimated the annual sales of a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor at US$13.7 billion in 2018, up 10 percent from a year earlier. The researcher said the figure is anticipated to reach a whopping $19 billion in 2022.
"CMOS designs keep improving for a variety of light levels, high-speed imaging, and greater resolution as well as integrating more functions for specific applications, such as security video cameras, machine vision in robots and cars, human recognition, hand-gesture interfaces, virtual-augmented reality, and medical systems," IC Insights said in its release.
"In new smartphones, CMOS image sensors are also seeing a new wave of growth with the increase of dual-lens camera systems for enhanced photography," the researcher added.
Sony and Samsung currently lead the global market for CMOS image sensors, with the Japanese rival holding a slight edge.
In 2016, Sony and Samsung took up 25.6 percent and 22.6 percent of the market, respectively, industry data showed.
The two companies held 28.3 percent and 25.4 percent, respectively, last year. SK hynix Inc., Samsung's smaller South Korean rival, accounted for roughly 8 percent to 9 percent over the cited period.
Industry watchers, however, claim Sony takes up 50 percent of the market in terms of sales, hovering far above Samsung's 20 percent.
Samsung launched its image sensor brand named ISOCELL in June last year, in an apparent bid to catch up to Sony's Exmor products.

Камеры новых флагманских смартфонов Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ показывают выдающиеся результаты

Как мы уже сообщали, Samsung, накануне официального старта выставки Mobile World Congress 2018, провёл пресс-конференцию, на которой были анонсированы смартфоны Samsung Galaxy S9 и Galaxy S9+.
Обе модели получили уникальные 12-мегапиксельные камеры с технологией Dual Pixel и новыми фирменными сенсорами ISOCELL Fast 2L3 с интегрированной динамической оперативной памятью (DRAM), которые способны снимать видео в новом формате HVEC 4К 60fps (60 кадров в секунду), а также производить рапидную съёмку со скоростью 960 кадров в секунду с HD-разршением. Последняя функция позволяет заснять впечатляющие кадры с земедленным в несколько раз действием, что придаёт такой сцене особый драматизм.
Модули ISOCELL Fast 2L3 с трёхэлементным CMOS-датчиком изображения  разработаны подразделением System LSI, входящем в корпорацию Samsung Electronics.
Некоторые профильные интернет-ресурсы уже смогли получить образцы снимков, сделанных с помощью новых особо светочувствительных модулей, которые показывают, что качество мобильных камер Samsung уже вплотную приближается к возможностям больших DSLR-аппаратов. 
В частности, приводятся фотографии, сделанные в условиях недостаточной освещённости.

Не менее эффектно выглядят и видеоролики, сделанные с помощью Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+.
Накануне Samsung обнародовал подробную информацию об особенностях и спецификациях применяемых в Galaxy S9 камер, а также сообщил, что готов поставлять такие модули и для сторонних производителей мобильных гаджетов.
Поэтому уже довольно скоро такие камеры погут появиться в аппаратах ведущих китайских производителей, и, возможно, в смартфонах американской Apple.

How the Galaxy S9 Reimagines the Smartphone Camera

These days, smartphone users are relying less on calls and texts and more on selfies, emoji and GIFs to communicate with one another. That’s why Samsung outfitted both the Galaxy S9 and S9+ with innovative camera technologies designed not just to produce amazing photos, but to help users connect more comfortably and have more fun with their phone.
These include features such as Super Slow-mo and Dual Aperture, which allow users to capture amazing moments in impeccable detail, as well as exciting innovations like AR Emoji, which offer users a fun and unique way to express themselves. Let’s explore some of the innovative features that make these cameras such a pleasure to use.

Capture Small Moments in Incredible Detail

Our daily lives are full of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments that, when captured on camera, are breathtaking to behold. By increasing the camera’s shutter speed to a blistering 960 frames per second (fps), the Galaxy S9’s new Super Slow-mo function makes it easy for users to record special moments that pass too quickly to be seen by the naked eye – such as the instant a water balloon bursts, or the moment your child scores a big goal.
In order to incorporate the function, Samsung outfitted the Galaxy S9 with a Super Speed Dual Pixel image sensor that supports faster image processing. Composed of an image sensor, a fast readout circuit, and a smart dedicated DRAM memory chip, this sensor allows Super Slow-mo to record content that’s 32 times slower than normal video, and four times slower than any other slow-motion mobile technology. That means that just 0.2 seconds of normal video can be transformed into approximately 6 seconds of stunning footage.
When activated on the Galaxy S9, the function is not just fast; it’s also smart. To make capturing slow-motion footage even simpler, Samsung enhanced the function with an intelligent feature called Automatic Motion Detection, which allows users to capture any fleeting moment.
This allows users to automatically record moments that could pass them by in the time it would take to manually activate the function. Users can easily adjust the size of the motion-detection area on the camera screen, and have the option to capture either a ‘Single-take’ or ‘Multi-take’ Super Slow-mo video, with the latter allowing them to record up to 20 slow-motion clips.
The camera also makes customizing and sharing Super Slow-mo videos simple. Users have the option to create a GIF of their clip that they may save and share with three playback options: on loop, in reverse, or in swing mode. They can also add a soundtrack to their video, utilizing a song from their library or any of Super Slow-mo’s 35 built-in options, and choose to display their Super Slow-mo clip on Galaxy S9’s home screen or lock screen.

Crisp Images in Low-Light Conditions

The Galaxy S9’s cutting-edge Dual Aperture camera is designed to adapt to various lighting conditions just as the human eye would, automatically letting in more light when it’s dark and less when it’s too bright to ensure that photos are crisp and clear anytime, anywhere.
This level of clarity is possible thanks to Samsung’s pairing of a new F1.5 aperture lens, which is the brightest currently available on a smartphone, with an F2.4 lens.
The lenses automatically adjust their apertures to reduce visual distortion and deliver the best possible picture, and help the camera provide 28 percent better reception to light1. Users may also adjust the apertures manually by utilizing the camera’s Pro Mode.
The Galaxy S9’s upgraded Multi-Frame Noise Reduction technology enhances low-light image quality even further by capturing and combining 12 pictures in quick succession to eliminate up to 30 percent1 more noise and create a stunning shot.

Express Yourself with AR Emoji

Expressing yourself with animal emoji and cartoon characters can be fun, but as cute as they may be, they lack your distinct personality. That’s why Samsung developed the Galaxy S9’s AR Emoji feature – to offer users a visual communication tool that allows them to express themselves in a way that’s unique to them.
From a single selfie, the Galaxy S9’s machine-learning algorithm analyzes more than 100 distinct facial features, including your eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks and forehead, and uses that data to generate a personalized 3D avatar, or ‘my emoji,’ that looks just like you. Each is capable of mimicking the user’s own movements, in addition to supporting 18 pre-set expressions at launch, which makes it easy to punctuate any point with a dynamic visual.
Users can choose to create their own avatar, or pick one from a built-in selection of unique characters. Each is fully customizable, so users may edit their avatar’s facial features, hairstyle, accessories (such as glasses) and clothing to their liking. Samsung is also collaborating with various partners to add more fun and iconic characters to the AR Emoji roster very soon.
AR Emoji are compatible with messaging apps that utilizes the Samsung keyboard, and can easily be shared as GIFs or PNG files with anyone, no matter what kind of smartphone they have. To apply an extra layer of personalization to their device, users may also choose to use it as a wallpaper on their lock screen and home screen.

Deeper Bixby Integration2

Samsung’s intelligence platform, Bixby, is deeply integrated into the Galaxy S9’s camera, and utilizes augmented reality and deep learning technologies to provide users with a wide range of helpful, real-time information about the world around them.
When the user points their camera at an object, Bixby recognizes what it’s looking at and instantly presents information related to that object overlaid on top of the image. Bixby currently features nine different camera modes, including Text, Food, Makeup, Wine, Shopping, Image, QR Code and more, which allow users to receive instant insight into their surroundings.
This means that, for instance, a user on a business trip abroad may utilize the Live Translation function under Bixby’s Text mode to instantly translate a menu or sign written in a foreign language, or even foreign currency, in real-time. Bixby is currently capable of detecting 54 languages and translating them into a total of 104, which means no more accidentally ordering the wrong dish when overseas!3
Speaking of food, Bixby Vision’s Food mode allows the Galaxy S9’s camera to provide comprehensive information on the food you’re eating, including the calorie count and recipes.4 Makeup mode delivers similar levels of analysis and convenience, allowing the Galaxy S9 to recognize the kinds of makeup that the person in the camera is wearing, and providing direct links to websites that sell them.5

A Dual Camera Is Twice As Fun

The best-in-class Dual Camera featured on the Galaxy S9+ is composed of a pair of 12MP cameras – an F1.5 wide-angle lens with Super Speed Dual Pixel image sensor, and an F2.4 telephoto lens – that seamlessly combine their respective images into one.
The telephoto lens offers 2X optical and up to 10X digital zooming capabilities, while the camera’s dual optical image stabilization (OIS) technology ensures that both lenses provide crisp, clear shots even when the user has a shaky hand.
The camera’s Live Focus feature makes snapping selfies more fun, and allows you to easily capture a perfect portrait shot and adjust the depth of field before the picture is taken, or afterward, in the Gallery app. The Background Blur function offers users even more creative control over their pictures, allowing them to adjust their photo’s focus by applying a variety of shapes, including a heart or star to the background.
The Dual Capture feature was specifically designed to capture beauty in the background – or views that could be missed when taking a Live Focus shot. This function allows you to snap a close-up Live Focus portrait while also capturing the surrounding scenery, so the final photo will encapsulate the beauty of the moment in its entirety.
In addition, the cameras of both the Galaxy S9 and S9+ utilize machine learning technology to ensure that captured images are as clear as can be. The cameras’ Selfie Focus feature, for instance, automatically distinguishes the user’s face from their surroundings when taking a selfie, while Image Classification Solution automatically categorizes images and recognizes subjects’ surroundings to apply filters that make the photos looks like they were taken by a professional photographer.

*All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation. 

1Compared to the Galaxy Note8.
2Bixby service availabilities and features may vary by country or carrier.
3Of these 54 recognizable languages, 33 may be detected automatically, and 21 should be selected manually.
4Food mode is available in Korea, the U.S., France, Germany, the U.K., Italy, Spain and India.
5Makeup mode is available in Korea, the U.S., Canada and China.

Samsung’s Newest ISOCELL Image Sensor Enables Mobile Devices to ‘Slow Down’ Time

The new 3-stack ISOCELL Fast 2L3 with integrated DRAM supports super-slow motion, low-light shooting, real-time HDR imaging, while minimizing picture distortion

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, introduced the newest addition to its ISOCELL image sensor family, the 3-stack ISOCELL Fast 2L3. The 1.4-micrometer (μm) 12-megapixel (Mp) image sensor with integrated dynamic random access memory (DRAM) delivers fast data readout speeds to capture both rapid movements in super-slow motion and sharper still photographs with less noise and distortion.
“Samsung’s ISOCELL image sensors have made great leaps over the generations, with technologies such as ISOCELL for high color fidelity and Dual Pixel for ultra-fast autofocusing, bringing the smartphone camera ever closer to DSLR-grade photography,” said Ben K. Hur, vice president of System LSI marketing at Samsung Electronics. “With an added DRAM layer, Samsung’s new 3-stack ISOCELL Fast 2L3 will enable users to create more unique and mesmerizing content.”
Conventional image sensors are constructed with two silicon layers; a pixel array layer that converts light information into an electric signal, and an analog logic layer that processes the electric signal into digital code. The digital code is then sent via MIPI interface to the device’s mobile processor for further image tuning before being saved to the device’s DRAM. While all these steps are done instantaneously to implement features like zero-shutter lag, capturing smooth super-slow-motion video requires image readouts at a much higher rate.
Delivering an advanced solution, the Samsung ISOCELL Fast 2L3 is a high speed 3-stack CMOS image sensor designed with the company’s two-gigabit (Gb) LPDDR4 DRAM attached below the analog logic layer. With the integration, the image sensor can temporarily store a larger number of frames taken in high speed quickly onto the sensor’s DRAM layer before sending frames out to the mobile processor and then to the device’s DRAM. This not only allows the sensor to capture a full-frame snapshot at 1/120 of a second but also to record super-slow motion video at up to 960 frames per second (fps). With 960fps recording, which is 32 times the typical filming speed (30fps), recording moments such as a child hitting his or her first game-winning homerun, a baby taking his or her first step, or a friend doing a gazelle flip on a skateboard becomes much more dramatic.
In addition to super slow motion video, fast readout can hugely enhance the photography experience. Since the sensor captures an image at very high speeds, it significantly reduces the ‘jello-effect,’ or image distortion, when taking a picture of fast-moving objects, for example helicopter rotor blades. By storing multiple frames in the split of a second, the sensor can support 3-Dimensional Noise Reduction (3DNR) for clearer pictures when shooting in low-light, as well as real time high-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging, and detect even the slightest hint of movement for automatic instant slow-motion recording.
The image sensor is also equipped with Dual Pixel technology, which allows each and every one of the 12-million pixels of the image sensor to employ two photodiodes that respectively work as a phase detection auto-focus (PDAF) agent. With ultra-fast auto-focus in any lighting condition, it will be harder to miss capturing important moments before they pass by.
The Samsung ISOCELL Fast 2L3 is currently in mass production.

Samsung представил новое семейство датчиков изображений Isocell

Корпорация Samsung Electronics внедрила бренд Isocell для обозначения датчиков изображений. Соответствующее заявление южнокорейский гигант сделал на конференции Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017, который проходит в Шанхае (Китай).
Isocell - это представленная в 2013 году технология, применяемая в камерах мобильных устройств Samsung. Isocell отделяет каждый пиксель физическим барьером, что уменьшает цветовые помехи, позволяет достичь улучшенной цветопередачи и обеспечивает высокое качество изображения даже при очень маленьком размере пикселей.
Линейка Samsung Isocell теперь включает 4 суб-брэнда: Bright, Fast, Slim и Dual. Первый обеспечивает яркое и чёткое изображение с насыщенной цветовой гаммой и низким уровнем шумов при слабой освещённости.
Isocell Fast - это быстрая автофокусировка на неподвижных и движущихся объектах, в том числе при съёмке при недостаточном освещении.
Isocell Slim имеет наименьший из представленных на рынке размер пикселей (около 0,9-1,0 мкм), что позволяет получать изображения высокого качества на самых тонких и компактных устройствах.
Isocell Dual - возможность совмещения на устройствах всех вышеперечисленных возможностей и соответствия требованиям к популярным сдвоенным камерам, говорится в официальном пресс-релизе вендора.

Samsung Introduces Image Sensor Brand ‘ISOCELL’ at 2017 MWC Shanghai

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today introduced its image sensor brand ‘ISOCELL®’ as well as demonstrated leading-edge solutions at the 2017 Mobile World Congress (MWC) Shanghai.
Samsung’s brand for its image sensor lineup is named after the company’s own ISOCELL technology, which is the optimum solution for today’s devices that require ultra-slim designs with high quality cameras. First introduced in 2013, ISOCELL technology separates each pixel with a physical barrier that reduces color crosstalk among pixels. This allows high color fidelity, enabling excellent image quality even with smaller pixels.
Samsung ISOCELL is underlined by four technological sub-brands—Bright, Fast, Slim and Dual—that respond to specific market demands:

*ISOCELL Bright sensors deliver bright and sharp images with high color fidelity and reduced noise in low light environments
*ISOCELL Fast sensors provide fast autofocus onto still or moving objects even when dark
*ISOCELL Slim sensors adopt the smallest pixel sizes available in the market at 0.9-1.0um, yet produce high quality images for the slimmest devices
*ISOCELL Dual sensors can be mixed and matched in various combinations on consumer devices to bring about features demanded in the latest dual camera trend

“Samsung ISOCELL is a brand that represents the essence of our leading pixel technologies. We expect the ISOCELL brand to help consumers easily acknowledge and confide in camera performance as well as overall quality of the device,” said Ben Hur, Vice President of System LSI marketing at Samsung Electronics. “With our advanced image sensor technologies, Samsung will continue to bring innovation to cameras used in smartphones and other applications.”
At MWC Shanghai, Samsung will be featuring advanced logic solutions, including the Exynos 9 series with 10-nanometer FinFET process technology, for a wide range of platforms such as mobile, Virtual Reality (VR) and wearable devices.