Polarization Image Sensor
IMX250MZR / MYR : Diagonal 11.1 mm (Type 2/3) Approx. 5.07M-Effective Pixel Monochrome/Color
IMX264MZR / MYR Polarization CMOS Image Sensor
IMX253MZR / MYR :Diagonal 17.6 mm (Type 1.1) Approx. 12.37M-Effective Pixel Monochrome/Color
Polarization CMOS Image Sensor

Polarsens is a CMOS Image Sensor pixel technology that has several different angle polarizer
formed on chip during the semiconductor process allowing highly accurate alignment with pixel.
*Polarsens andPhoto: IMX250MZR / MYR

are trademarks of Sony Corporation.

Polarization Image Sensor with Four-Directional on-chip
Polarizer and global shutter function

Characteristic

Four-Directional Polarizer formedon chip
■ Global shutter function■ High frame rate
■ ROI mode, Trigger mode■Sony Semiconductor Solutions has launched a polarization image sensor (polarizationsensor): 3.45µm pixel size with four-directional polarizer which is formed on the photodiodeof the image sensor chip*1. This polarization sensor is targeting the industrial equipment
market.
In addition to capturing brightness and color*2, this image sensor can also capture
polarization information that cannot be detected by a normal image sensor. This polarization sensor can be used in many applications in the industrial ﬁeld, such as inspection
when visibility and sensing are difﬁcult.
*1. IMX250MZR/MYR (5.07M-Effective Pixel) were launched in September/December 2018.
IMX264MZR/MYR (5.07M-Effective Pixel) were launched in February 2021.
IMX253MZR/MYR (12.37M-Effective Pixel) were launched in September/October 2019.

Polarizer image
Source: Sony, IEDM2016, Lecture number 8.7*2. IMX250MYR (color) /IMX264MYR(color) / IMX253MYR (color) only.

Four directional polarizer is formed on the image sensor
Sony Semiconductor Solutions’ polarization sensor can capture a four directional polarization
image in one shot by the four directional polarizer (Fig.1). It can calculate the direction anddegree of polarization (DoP) based on the intensity of each directional polarization. Together withsubsequent signal processing, it can capture the polarization information*3 in real time*4.

Photo diode*3. Degree of Polarization and Direction of Polarization*4. Subject to subsequent signal processing power.

Polarizer
On-chip lensPolarizer is formed on chip under the on-chip lens layer

Fig.1. Structure

Structure Comparison

With conventional types of polarization sensors, the polarizer is attached on top of the on-chip lenslayer (Fig.2), however with Sony Semiconductor Solutions’ polarization sensor the polarizer isformed on chip under the on-chip lens layer (Fig.3). A shorter distance between the polarizer andthe photodiode improves the extinction ratio*5 and the incident angle dependence.
Since the polarizer is formed during the semiconductor process, form and formulation of polarizer,
uniformity, mass productivity and durability are excellent compared to conventional polarization
sensors. Furthermore, Sony Semiconductor Solutions’ Polarization sensor is covered with an anti-reﬂection layer which helps to reduce reﬂectance and avoids poor ﬂare and ghost characteristics.
*5. Extinction Ratio
Extinction ratio is a speciﬁcation to measure polarization The extinction ratio of polarization image sensor is the ratio between thesensitivity of transmission axis light and the sensitivity of extinction axis light (the sensitivity of transmission axis light / the sensitivityof extinction axis light). The higher the number, the better the speciﬁcation and performance.

Cover glass

Cover glass

Polarizer

On-chip lensOn-chip lens

Photo
diode

Photo
diode

Fig.2. Structure of Conventional
Polarization sensor

Fig.3. Structure of Sony
Semiconductor
Solutions’ Polarization sensor

Global Shutter function

Industrial applications require imaging of fast-moving objects. However, existing CMOS image sensors are unable to accurately identify fast-movingobjects, due to the focal plane distortion, which is caused by the rolling shutter function. The IMX250MZR/MYR, IMX264MZR/MYR, IMX253MZR/MYR
address this issue by providing an analog memory inside each pixel and realizing the global shutter function to enable high-picture-quality without
focal plane distortion.

High Frame Rate

The column-parallel A/D conversion technology of Sony's CMOS image sensors is used to realize high-speed imaging of up to 163.4frame/s (ADC 8bit) for the IMX250MZR/MYR, 35.7frame/s (ADC 12 bit) for the IMX264MZR/MYR and 68.3frame/s (ADC 8 bit) for the IMX253MZR/MYR. Increasing
processing speed is used for industrial applications.

ROI mode andtrigger mode

IMX250MZR/MYR, IMX264MZR/MYR, IMX253MZR/MYR are equipped with variety of functions necessary for industrial applications, such as ROI
Mode and Trigger Mode. ROI Mode crops required areas. Up to 8 × 8 = 64 locations can be set with IMX250MZR/MYR, and 1 location withIMX264MZR/MYR. In addition to setting the 8 × 8 = 64 locations, IMX253MZR/MYR provides greater freedom of specifying regions and allows
overlap of speciﬁed regions. Various exposure methods are provided with the trigger mode, which controls the exposure time using an external pulse.

Home pagehttps://www.sony.net/polarsens-tech

Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationCopyright 2018,2019,2020,2021 Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation

Sample image
Glass inspection (scratch and stain)

Fig.4. Normal image

Tablet filling inspection

Fig.5. Degree of Polarization image

Fig.6. Normal image

Fig.7. Degree of Polarization image

These examples show dents and dust on a homogenous glass plane. We caneasily ﬁnd scratches and stains (ﬁngerprint and dust) due to differences in thedegree of polarization (Fig.4,5).

Thanks to the difference in the degree of polarization between the tablet and thealuminum package, it is easy to identify whether the tablets are ﬁlled in or not(Fig.7).

Distortion inspection

Removal reflection

Fig.8. Normal image

Fig.10. Normal image

Fig.9. Polarization Direction image

Fig.11. Removed reflection image

Polarization information can be used to remove reﬂections (Fig.11). Sony Semiconductor Solutions’ polarization sensor has a four-directional polarizer, which cansimultaneously remove the reﬂections in multi planes.(Fig.11)

With the information of direction of polarization, we can identify both distortions andthe direction of distortion of the plane (Fig.9).

All images were generated by Sony Semiconductor Solutions’ polarization sensor's evaluation board.
＜Table 1＞ Device Structure
Item

IMX250MZR / MYR

IMX264MZR / MYR

Features

IMX253MZR / MYR

Four-directional Polarization

Image size

Progressive scan mode : Diagonal 11.1 mm (Type 2/3)
Full-HD mode : Diagonal 7.7 mm (Type 1/2.35)

Progressive scan mode : Diagonal 17.6 mm (Type 1.1)

Number of effective pixels

2464 (H) × 2056 (V) Approx. 5.07 M pixels

4112 (H) × 3008 (V) Approx. 12.37 M pixels

3.45 µm (H) × 3.45 µm (V)Unit cell size
Optical blacks

Horizontal

Front : 0 pixels, rear : 0 pixels

Vertical

Front : 10 pixels, rear : 0 pixels

Input drive frequency

37.125 MHz / 54.0 MHz / 74.25 MHz

Package

226-pin LGA

Supply voltage VDD (Typ.)

3.3 V / 1.8 V / 1.2 V＜Table 2＞ Image Sensor Characteristics
Item

IMX250MZR / MYR

IMX264MZR / MYR

IMX253MZR / MYR

Remarks

sensitivity (monochrome)Typ.[F8]342 mVSensitivity (color)Typ.[F5.6]

430 mV

3200 K, 706 cd/m2,
1/30s accumulation

Saturation signal

Min.

1001 mV

Tj = 60 °C＜Table 3＞ Basic Drive Mode
Product name

Drive mode

Recommended number of recording pixels

Progressive scan

2448 (H) × 2048 (V) Approx. 5.01 M pixels

ADC [bit]
121081210121212108

IMX250MZR/MYR
Full-HD1920 (H) × 1080 (V) Approx. 2.07 M pixels

IMX264MZR/MYR

Progressive scan
Full-HD2448 (H) × 2048 (V) Approx. 5.01 M pixels
1920 (H) × 1080 (V) Approx. 2.07 M pixels

IMX253MZR/MYR

Progressive scan

4096 (H) × 3000 (V)IMX250MZRIMX264MZRIMX253MZRApprox. 12.29 M pixels

Frame rate (Max.) [frame/s]
89.5
144.7
163.4
120.0
120.0
35.7
60
46.4
64.6
68.3

500.0
450.0
400.0
Extinction Ratio

Omnidirectional Extinction Ratio (Min.)

350.0
300.0
250.0
200.0
150.0
100.0
50.0
0.0

400

450500

550

600
650
700
Wavelength [nm]*Sony reserves the right to change products and specifications without prior notice.

750800850900

Subject to test and environment conditions

2021.2.2