ASM Pacific Technology leads the upsurge and breakthrough of camera sensors

The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought a massive change to the world. People are connected by digital data on an unprecedented scale. A part of our life takes place in a virtual environment and the world is greatly transformed by things like digital workplace, virtual learning, mobile web, cloud computing, and Internet of Things (IoT), indicating how smart life has truly become the new normal.

“Smart homes, smart cities, and smart manufacturing compose a smart life environment in which we are living. As the degree of automation keeps rising, camera image sensors have become the key enabling hardware connecting the world with the computers in the network,” said Benny Au, Assistant Vice President in CIS of ASM Pacific Technology (ASMPT).

Benny emphasized that camera modules are an essential component of all these smart technologies. For individuals, cameras are frequently found on your smartphones, smart home appliances, drones, security control safety driving systems, and electric vehicles. For industry applications, cameras are making a significant contribution in areas including robotic, factory automation, and process control, enhancing productivity to a new height.

Camera applications have undergone a rapid expansion in the last 20 years, especially in the smartphone market. In order to deliver superior image clarity within a shrinking profile, and more functionality including super-zoom and ultra-wide-angle shooting to the end-users, the traditional camera module assembly method has been replaced by more advanced optical assembly technologies like Active Alignment (AA) and Advanced Optical Alignment (AOA).

Another big trend of camera applications is happening in the automotive industry. High-resolution cameras, combined with LiDAR and radar located in different parts of the vehicle, create a map of the surroundings, hence allowing real-time interactions between the vehicle and other users on the road.

Figure 1. Source: Yole’s report on sensing and computing for ADAS vehicles

In the future, the camera module market is going to keep expanding with a wide range of applications. The expectation of quality will become higher and the design of cameras will be more complex. Tough challenges like the pressure on price, technology innovation, and yield are expected to be waiting ahead. With a forethoughtful mindset and the pursuit of technology advancement, camera module providers will be well-prepared for the fast development in the future.

“This is when ASM Pacific Technology comes into play,” noted Benny. ASMPT provides advanced manufacturing solutions in the CIS market, including the consumer market, automotive market as well as factory automation. To think one step ahead, ASMPT has been utilizing AIoT system, SkyEye in its inline solutions to achieve zero-defect manufacturing. The closed-loop systems and AI power enable exceptional quality control and cost control. With the expertise and experience in the industry, ASMPT CIS equipment products are capable of producing camera modules with high yield and productivity.

Figure 2: ASMPT ACamLine™ (Advanced Automotive Camera Line) with Skyeye system

“To stay at the forefront of the future development of camera sensors, ASMPT has established close partnership with our key customers and end-users to provide them with our Smart Manufacturing Solutions. We hope to innovate with them to create product differentiations at low costs and superior quality. With our leading CIS platform technologies, ASMPT is ready to support our future society in the journey of digital transformation,” said Benny.