Back-illuminated sensor

<p>A back-illuminated (BI) sensor, also known as back-side illumination (BSI) sensor, is a type of digital <a href="/facts/Image_sensor/j3GNrRln">image sensor</a> that uses a novel arrangement of the imaging elements to increase the amount of light captured and thereby improve low-light performance.
</p><p>The technique was used for some time in specialized roles like low-light security cameras and astronomy sensors, but was complex to build and required further refinement to become widely used. <a href="/facts/Sony/7x4tCtBd">Sony</a> was the first to reduce these problems and their costs sufficiently to introduce a 5-megapixel 1.75 μm BI <a href="/facts/CMOS_sensor/6Trt4SWj">CMOS sensor</a> at <a href="/facts/Consumer_electronics/cJ8g9NXh">general consumer</a> prices in 2009. BI sensors from <a href="/facts/OmniVision_Technologies/Saj2Vqh9">OmniVision Technologies</a> have since been used in consumer electronics from other manufacturers as in the <a href="/facts/HTC_EVO_4G/F2zNfKEz">HTC EVO 4G</a> Android smartphone, and as a major selling point for the camera in Apple's <a href="/facts/IPhone_4/EWe0sE18">iPhone 4</a>.
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Back-illuminated sensor open-in-new

Back-illuminated sensor