BARCELONA, Spain (Mobile World Congress) — February 11, 2008 — OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: OVTI), the world’s largest supplier of CMOS image sensors, today announced its OmniPixel®3-HS architecture, which incorporates a new pixel design that doubles the sensitivity of its 1.75µm OmniPixel®3 architecture to 960 millivolts per lux-second. The performance of the new OmniPixel®3-HS architecture significantly enhances image capture under very low lighting conditions, and thus allows for a new generation of compact camera solutions for mobile handsets, notebook computers and other applications that require exceptional low-light performance without the need for flash.
“Our R&D team engaged in a focused effort with technology partner TSMC to move more advanced design rules into the current 0.11-micron image technology to support this new pixel architecture,” said Howard Rhodes, OmniVision’s Vice President of Process Engineering. “OmniVision has systematically analyzed the performance of over 100 different pixel designs over 100 different process variations to arrive at the OmniPixel®3-HS design. The result is an OmniVision proprietary image technology that doubles the sensitivity of our first generation OmniPixel®3 1.75µm pixel.”
OmniPixel®3-HS is a symmetric pixel design that eliminates color shading across the image plane. Combined with a low stack height, the OmniPixel®3-HS pixel delivers a sharp, clear and accurate color image across the entire image plane. The new pixel cuts fundamental noise sources in half, significantly increasing the internal pixel gain and the quantum efficiency to provide a sensor with much superior low light performance and improved performance in all lighting conditions.
OmniVision will be demonstrating several new products incorporating its OmniPixel®3-HS architecture at the Mobile World Congress (Hall 1, booth 1G13) in Barcelona, February 11-14, 2008.
Safe-Harbor Language
Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding the performance achievements and capabilities of OmniPixel®3-HS architecture and the development of products based on this architecture, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties, which could cause the forward-looking statements and OmniVision’s results to differ materially, include, without limitation: potential errors, design flaws or other problems with OmniPixel®3-HS; risks associated developing future architecture and products incorporating OmniPixel®3-HS; the rapid changes in technical requirements for camera phone products; competitive risks; as well as other risks detailed from time to time in OmniVision’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including, but not limited to, OmniVision’s most recent annual report filed on Form 10-K and its most recent quarterly report filed on Form 10-Q. OmniVision expressly disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.