Quantum film might replace CMOS

QUANTUM FILM could replace conventional CMOS image sensors in digital cameras.

According to EETimes, the film is made from materials similar to conventional film - a polymer with embedded particles.

Howver instead of silver grains like photographic film, the embedded particles are quantum dots, which we guess are only in the camera if you see them.

Quantum films can image scenes at higher pixel resolutions and are four times more sensitive than the finest grained photographic film.

Developed by the firm Invisage, the technology would be ideal for mobile phones as it creates the next generation image sensor because it gathers more light, so you can either build a higher resolution mobile phone camera or make a smaller image sensor to turn out a less expensive one with the same resolution.

Conventional digital cameras would gain much higher resolution sensors by using quantum film material.

The technology was developed by University of Toronto professor Ted Sargent. It involves suspending lead-sulfide nanoparticles in a polymer matrix to form a new class of semiconducting polymer.

Quantum film is put on a low-cost wafer that has the electrode array for super-dense, high pixel-count images. It is cheaper to produce than CMOS photodetectors that make up the bulk of conventional digital camera sensors.