# Canon develops world’s first 1-megapixel SPAD image sensor



## Canon Rumors Guy (Jun 28, 2020)

> Canon Inc. announced today that the company has developed the world’s first1 single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) image sensor with signal-amplifying pixels capable of capturing 1-megapixel images. SPAD image sensors are ideal for such applications as 2-dimensional cameras, which capture and develop still image and video in an extremely short span of time. These sensors also hold potential for use in 3-dimensional cameras due to their ability to obtain information about the distance between them and a subject as image data.
> 
> A SPAD sensor is a uniquely designed image sensor in which each pixel possesses an electronic element. When a single light particle, called a photon, reaches a pixel it is multiplied—as if creating an “avalanche”—that results in a single large electrical pulse. The ability to generate multiple electrons from a single photon provides such advantages as greater sensitivity during image capture and high precision distance measurement.
> The SPAD image sensor...



Continue reading...


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## vjlex (Jun 28, 2020)

Sounds fascinating...


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## Tmjc.wolf (Jun 28, 2020)

Am I understanding this right that this sensor should have really good high ISO performance as it it able to measure a single photon?


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## Kit. (Jun 28, 2020)

Tmjc.wolf said:


> Am I understanding this right that this sensor should have really good high ISO performance as it it able to measure a single photon?


It should have really bad "low ISO DR" performance, though.


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## brad-man (Jun 28, 2020)

The folks who feel the R6 and 1DX lll don't have enough resolution aren't going to like this...


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## ethanz (Jun 28, 2020)

*Internet drones* Give us 120fps
*Canon* Here's 24,000fps


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 28, 2020)

Kit. said:


> It should have really bad "low ISO DR" performance, though.


Yes, it is not a general purpose sensor, unless there is also a way to count photons. Its kinda implied that it resets extremely fast, so it might count photons over a short time span. Otherwise, its high contrast for sure.


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## Doug7131 (Jun 28, 2020)

ethanz said:


> *Internet drones* Give us 120fps
> *Canon* Here's 24,000fps


Only at 1 bit though. Canon cripple hammer strikes again


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## jolyonralph (Jun 28, 2020)

Looking forward to one of these two dimensional cameras. Three dimensional cameras are just so bulky.


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## Sean C (Jun 29, 2020)

So you capture at 24k FPS, stacking as you go until the brightest pixels vs darkest have the desired dynamic range?
If you can capture all the images, after the fact you could move a sliding window around and adjust the moment the exposure starts down to the 1/24k of a second and alter the effective ISO after capture. In fact normal exposure terminology doesn't work when you're capturing single photon events over time. You'd be able to do something like bayer pattern demosaicing except temporally, which ought to enable some new tricks.


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## tpatana (Jun 29, 2020)

Well that's the end of ISO war. Can't go lower than capturing single photons. No such thing as half photon. Or, if you find one, I promise you Nobel prize. While looking for those, try to find the magnetic monopole too.


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## stefang (Jun 29, 2020)

Do photons have color?


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## tpatana (Jun 29, 2020)

stefang said:


> Do photons have color?



In a sense yes, it comes from their energy level. But assuming single point trigger on the avalanche the sensor cannot detect color.

Now I started thinking some foveon-style avalance photon detector where it triggers the single avalanche at different depths... hmm...


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## Del Paso (Jun 29, 2020)

Can't be good, it's not a Sony !


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## SecureGSM (Jun 29, 2020)

Del Paso said:


> Can't be good, it's not a Sony !


Canon's single-bit colour magic is pure and therefore is superior.


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## Trey T (Jun 29, 2020)

Technology is often capitalized by porn industry, like the internet. I bet this 3D capability will be the same.


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## flip314 (Jun 29, 2020)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Yes, it is not a general purpose sensor, unless there is also a way to count photons. Its kinda implied that it resets extremely fast, so it might count photons over a short time span. Otherwise, its high contrast for sure.



You can definitely use APDs as "geiger counters" for photons and count them up over time. Typically, you need to divide the count by some ginormous number, since even your average 60W light bulb emits 1.8 x 10^20 photos/second. However, you could use different factors to accommodate different light levels and in theory get very VERY good detection in low light.


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## Berowne (Jun 29, 2020)

Nice. 
Single-photon avalanche diode imagers in biophotonics: review and outlook


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## joestopper (Jun 29, 2020)

Tmjc.wolf said:


> Am I understanding this right that this sensor should have really good high ISO performance as it it able to measure a single photon?



That is true. The gain is very high: The cell is a photo diode that functions as a current source with a current proportional (in best case but there is also noise) to the number of photons hitting the diode. A single photon can be measured since a so-called avalanche effect induces a large amount of electrons resulting in a measurable current.
The question is how small a diode and a necessary resistor can be made such that high integration i.e. high mp sensor is possible.


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## HarryFilm (Jun 30, 2020)

We use photo avalanche diodes in our nightvision systems and while Canon's technology is a first for consumer-level gear, the military-spec gear has been using FUSION-based nightvision that combines optical and thermal nightvision at 1024 by 1024 pixels for quite a while now probably around 15 years or so or even longer using digital logic sensors starting at 256 by 256 pixels and then 512 by 512 pixels!

Since we ARE a chip manufacturer ourselves, we do this quite often where we use a 6x6 array of RGB colour photosites intermixed with luminance-specific photo avalanche diodes AND longwave and shortwave infrared and 400 nanometres ultraviolet sensitive photosites giving a FUSION IMAGE DETECTION DEVICE.

The arrays are 6x6 of 30 micron photosites combined into one virtual 180 micron-sized fusion pixel which allows us to offer simultaneous multi-spectral views at various wavelengths. We run that info through 2D-XY SOBEL EDGE detection to find and track our moving targets or provide full RGB colour even at midnight.

For now we are running 186 mm GaN and CMOS substrates so that means we are only at 1024 by 1024 fusion pixels. That good enough for most warfighter nightvision though! We will bring that up to 8192 by 8192 virtual pixels by changing the substrate dopants to increase sensitivity which means each photosite only needs to be around 8 microns. The next version sensor will be a VERY LARGE SENSOR at almost 400 mm by 400 mm but it WILL be DCI 8k by DCI 8k resolution for IR, UV and Optical wavelengths.

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The basic meaning of my above statements is to outline that military-spec gear has used such technology for many years now and Canon is JUST NOW bring that technology to consumers AND THAT MEANS YOU will eventually get super high-sensitivity GaN/CMOS fusion sensors that can give you low-noise, nearly perfect RGB colour EVEN AT NIGHT !!!!

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Based upon our OWN production costs and schedules, we estimate that our own GaN/CMOS fusion image sensor technology will come down to less than $750 per sensor chip in maybe 7 to 10 years and that Canon can bring it down to $250 per similar-style sensor chip using CMOS in maybe 5 years.

Canon won't be using GaN/CMOS fusion substrates like we do BUT they can get QUITE A LOT of sensitivity in those Canon-made sub-$250 image sensor chips which will QUITE OUTPERFORM the Exmor-series chip used in the Sony A7s2 camera which for now is the best consumer-grade near-full-RGB-nightvision chip around. Think ISO ONE MILLION sensitivities with LOW NOISE!

So again, ALMOST FULL COLOUR RGB NIGHVISION is just around the corner in about five years at $250 per sensor chip which can be used in RF-mount Canon cameras.

V


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## scottkinfw (Jul 4, 2020)

Well that sure made for light reading! I'm getting on my short bus and hanging out with the other under achievers.


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