New CSG14k image sensor from ams provides 12-bit output in 14Mpixel resolution for use in high-throughput manufacturing and optical inspection

Premstaetten, Austria (6 November, 2018) — ams (SIX: AMS), a leading worldwide supplier of high performance sensor solutions, today introduced a new global shutter image sensor for machine vision and Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) equipment which offers better image quality and higher throughput than any previous device that supports the 1” optical format.

The new CSG14k image sensor features a 3840 x 3584 pixel array, giving 14Mpixel resolution at a frame rate considerably higher than any comparable device on the market offers today. The CSG14k’s 12-bit output provides sufficient dynamic range to handle wide variations in lighting conditions and subjects. The sensor’s global shutter with true CDS (Correlated Double Sampling) produces high-quality images of fast-moving objects free of motion artefacts.

The high performance and resolution of the CSG14k are the result of innovations in the design of the sensor’s 3.2µm x 3.2µm pixels. The new pixel design is 66% smaller than the pixel in the previous generation of 10-bit ams image sensors, while offering a 12-bit output and markedly lower noise.

The superior image quality and speed of the CSG14k provide important advantages in high-throughput production settings, allowing machine vision equipment to take a more detailed and accurate picture of objects moving along the production line at higher speed. The sensor is suitable for use in applications such as Automated Optical Inspection (AOI), sorting equipment, laser triangulation and other measurement instruments, and robotics.

The CSG14k offers various configuration settings which enable the operation of the sensor to be tuned for specific application requirements. Configuration options include low-power modes at reduced frame rate, and optimizations for low noise and high dynamic range. The device has a sub-LVDS output interface which is compatible with the existing CMV family of image sensors from ams.

The CSG14k is housed in a 218-pin, 22mm x 20mm x 3mm LGA package which is compatible with the 1” lenses widely used in small form factor camera designs.

“Future advances in factory automation technology are going to push today’s machine vision equipment beyond the limits of its capabilities. The breakthrough in image quality and performance offered by the CSG14k gives manufacturers of machine vision systems headroom to support new, higher throughput rates while delivering valuable improvements in image quality and resolution,” said Tom Walschap, Marketing Director in the CMOS Image Sensors business line at ams.

The CSG14k will be available for sampling in the first half of 2019.