Building on its revolutionary OmniPixel technology, OmniVision introduced the OmniPixel2 architecture in September of 2005. OmniPixel2's pixel size of just 2.2 micron is less than half that of the first generation OmniPixel structures and represents one of the industry's smallest pixel sizes commercially available.
The OmniPixel2 architecture features process and technology improvements on both the sensor and system level that enable better performance per area and a further reduction in overall sensor size. OmniPixel2 features three major technology/process developments that increase the pixel density within a compact sensor size and maximizes the performance of the smaller pixel:

• An increase in fill factor by 40 percent along with more vibrant and truer-to-life color reproduction.
• A zero-gap micro-lens design, which eliminates the space between the lenses that are placed over each pixel, leading to a more efficient direction of light to the pixel's active area. This allows the pixels to capture over 20 percent more light, more effectively using the smaller pixel's active area.
• A pixel design that features higher quantum efficiency and improved full well capacity, which brings significant improvements to the pixel's dynamic range. The quantum efficiency, which measures how effectively pixels convert the captured photons to electrons, was improved through OmniVision's new proprietary 0.13 micron process. Process improvements designed to optimize image performance also further increase full well capacity, which means that OmniPixel2 has even better full well capacity than its larger 3.18-micron OmniPixel predecessor.

Together, these three technology/process improvements are key to a very high dynamic range and to enabling unparalleled performance on low