Chip-scALe visiBLE-iNfrared imaGing sEnsor

Introduction

According to the World Health Organisation, road accidents are the eighth-biggest cause of death worldwide. Bad weather, dangerous road conditions, and distracted or fatigued driving account for nearly 70% of all accidents. Current Driving Monitoring Systems (DMS) and Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) underperform in harsh conditions, do not guarantee high standards of security, and simply do not provide the needed supportive information to drivers: SWIR (Short-wave infrared) is what is missing.

Importance of SWIR

SWIR light, thanks to its peculiar physical properties, allows for better vision in critical visibility conditions such as:

• Fog
• Night
• Dusk
• Dawn

Project Overview

CHEERS - Chip-scALe visiBLE-iNfrared imaGing sEnsor - aims at developing a multi-spectral image sensor which, thanks to a unique patented electronic structure, is capable of selectively detecting the visible-near infrared (VIS-NIR) and SWIR regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Technology Details

Being based on Si and Ge photodiodes monolithically integrated in a single device, EYE4NIR technology is fully compatible with mainstream foundry processes. This harnesses their scalability and cost-efficiency to its advantage, as opposed to current SWIR imaging technologies. The robustness of our approach is proven by very promising results on lab-scale prototypes.

Market Application

Within CHEERS, EYE4NIR, a fabless image sensor supplier, aims at manufacturing a first HD VIS/SWIR chip ready for high-volume productions. The target market is automotive, where the demand for DMS and ADAS is growing (also because of regulatory constraints) and where price makes the difference.

Versatility and Future Prospects

CHEERS is effective, reliable, and versatile. Being an enabling technology, it can be implemented in other application domains such as:

1. Industrial automation
2. Consumer electronics
3. Non-invasive quality control

Semiconductors are key for Europe's competitive leadership in the era of the digital economy; EYE4NIR aims to grow and become a key fabless player in the ecosystem.