1. CIS technical background
Overview
Image sensors are mainly divided into CCD image sensors and CIS (CMOS) image sensors.
1. CCD (charge-coupled device). A CCD consists of many photosensitive units, typically measured in megapixels. When the CCD surface is illuminated, each photosensitive unit generates charge on the device. The signals produced by all photosensitive units are combined to form a complete image.
2. CIS (CMOS image sensor). CIS is an optical sensor that converts light signals into electrical signals (voltage or current varying over time) and then converts them into digital signals through readout circuits.
3. Main characteristics of CCD and CIS sensors
CCD sensors: good depth of field when scanning objects, wide density range, and broad spectral response.
CIS sensors: good light-source compatibility, low distortion, lower manufacturing cost, lower power consumption, smaller size and weight, high integration, lower failure rate, and easier maintenance. Compared with CCDs, CIS sensors are more resistant to shock and require less stringent conditions for transport and use.
Additionally, CCD-based products traditionally use cold cathode lamps as the light source, which require roughly one minute of warm-up before stable illumination, so products cannot be used immediately after power-on. CIS products can be powered on and used at any time. Because of these advantages, CIS sensors have gradually replaced CCD sensors as the mainstream.
2. CIS sensor application fields
CIS sensors are widely used in cameras for smartphones, automotive electronics, security monitoring, medical devices, and industrial control. As the core component of camera modules, CIS sensors account for about 52% of the module cost. Application details are as follows.
1. Smartphones: cameras
The largest market for CIS sensors is smartphones. With the increasing popularity of multi-camera systems, there is growing demand for higher pixel counts and continued improvements in CMOS process technology. CIS sensors offer high speed, strong interference resistance, and high integration, making CMOS process the mainstream technology for integrated circuit fabrication. CMOS processes also enable high integration of RF, baseband, and memory components, which helps reduce cost.
2. Automotive electronics: in-vehicle cameras
Beyond smartphones, automotive electronics is a major application area for CMOS sensors. Due to advantages such as low power consumption, small size, light weight, high integration, and low cost, CIS sensors are increasingly used in automotive systems. In vehicles, CIS image sensors support dashcams, forward and rearview cameras, 360° surround-view systems, and collision avoidance systems, enhancing vehicle safety. With the development of autonomous driving technologies, vehicles will require more cameras to capture surrounding information, further increasing demand for CIS sensors. CIS sensors are the fastest-growing and largest category among automotive sensors. As automakers add more cameras to support functions such as blind-spot detection and traffic light recognition, CIS sensors play a central role in improving vehicle safety.
3. Security and surveillance: cameras
As image sensor technology improves, demand for cameras in security and surveillance continues to grow. Surveillance systems rely on image sensors for monitoring, and the market continues to expand. CIS sensors are used in both traditional and consumer-grade security scenarios. CIS sensors are classified by sensitivity into general, starlight, and moonlight grades, and different resolution levels are applied depending on surveillance needs. Infrared cameras are commonly used in security applications.
4. Medical devices: endoscopes
In medical devices, CIS sensors are used in endoscopes and gastroscopes. The medical field previously relied mainly on CCD sensors, but with sensor advances, CIS sensors are now used more widely because of lower cost and competitive performance. Future sensor requirements for endoscopes will trend toward lower power consumption, smaller form factors, and lower cost, areas where CIS sensors have advantages. CIS technology is also expected to continue advancing in optical imaging applications.
5. Industrial control: machine vision
In industrial control, machine vision is a multidisciplinary technology that includes image processing, mechanical engineering, control systems, lighting, optical imaging, sensors, and analog and digital video technologies. Machine vision is used in hazardous environments or where human vision cannot meet requirements, replacing manual inspection. Introducing CIS sensors into high-volume automated production can significantly improve efficiency and automation.
Machine vision applications also include drones, smart terminals, payment systems, intelligent logistics, and consumer robots. CIS sensors are widely used in stereo camera systems that collect image information for these applications. Stereo cameras use a bionic principle: calibrated dual cameras capture synchronized images and then compute depth information from the disparity between corresponding pixels.
3. CIS market size
1. New technology driving high market growth
Globally, the CMOS image sensor market has grown steadily with broad prospects. From 2017 to 2021, global market sales increased steadily, and since 2019 the market entered a high-growth phase with accelerating growth. The China CMOS sensor market remains in a high-growth stage, with overall market size increasing steadily. As technology improves, global CIS applications are expanding across downstream fields such as smartphones, automotive electronics, and security monitoring.
According to Yole, from 2022 to 2028 the global CIS image sensor industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.1%, reaching a global market size of $28.8 billion.
According to Icv Tank, the Chinese market accounts for approximately 43% of the global market, with a market size of about $12.4 billion.
4. Analysis: global and the Chinese market
1. Global CIS analysis
Due to high industry barriers, leading companies hold significant market share. In 2022, the top five global CIS companies and their market shares were as follows.
In 2022 the top three CIS companies accounted for more than 70% of the market, and their downstream application areas differ: Sony's CIS sensors are mainly used in smartphones, cameras, and camcorders; Samsung's CIS sensors are mainly used in Samsung smartphones; OmniVision's CIS sensors are mainly used in security and automotive electronics. Although ON Semiconductor's overall market share is not large, it is a leading supplier for automotive-grade applications.
2. China market analysis
In China, the industry leaders in 2022 included three main companies, with different product focus areas: Will Semiconductor (including acquired OmniVision's automotive-grade CIS chips) focuses on security and automotive; SmartSens focuses on security; and Gpixel focuses on smartphone and AR/VR applications.
