VR-Zone

Japan's Sony Corporation has announced that it will outsource some production of complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors to Fujitsu Ltd amid tough global competition.

The move, apart from allowing Sony to meet the strong demand for image sensors driven by digital cameras and mobile phones, will enable the Japanese giant to cut costs and safeguard its proprietary technologies in Japan.

Sub-contracting is expected to start as early as this business year to next March at a rate of several thousand silicon wafer equivalents a month.

Despite outsourcing some production to Fujitsu, Sony has plans to invest 40 billion yen to increase production output of image sensors at its own Kumamoto Technology Center.

Sony has two CMOS image sensor models at the moment - Exmor (used in Sony's DSLRs) and Exmor R (small and high-density for small device applications).

Sony currently produces Exmor R sensors for digital still cameras and digital video camcorders at its Nagasaki plant. However, come end of this year, besides ramping up Exmor sensor output, the Kumamoto plant will also start mass producing Exmor R sensors for digital still cameras and mobile phones.

Source: Reuters