Quantum Film Might Replace CMOS Sensors

An anonymous reader writes "Quantum film could replace conventional CMOS image sensors in digital cameras and are four times more sensitive than photographic film. The film, which uses embedded quantum dots instead of silver grains like photographic film, can image scenes at higher pixel resolutions. While the technology has potential for use in mobile phones, conventional digital cameras would also gain much higher resolution sensors by using quantum film material." The original (note: obnoxious interstitial ad) article at EE Times adds slightly more detail.

Comments

Re:Night vision goggles

[John Hasler]

> With enough sensitivity everything gives off infrared radiation...

Actually it does so with no sensitivity at all, just by being hotter than absolute zero. However, to detect infrared your sensor must not only be sensitive to it, it must also be significantly colder than the object you are trying to image. otherwise it will just detect its own emissions.

Re:Doesn't mean much as long as the optics still s

[Nyeerrmm]

As an engineer who does astronomical optics rather than a photographer, I can say with certainty with absolute certainty that all else being equal (i.e. diffraction limited case) a larger aperture is sharper. This is simply a matter of physics. The resolution is inversely proportional to diameter of the aperture due to the wave-like nature of light.

Now, if by 'crisper' you don't mean sharper, but rather a fuzzy measure of how you think it looks, its not surprising because smaller lenses of good quality are easier to make, and will thus approach the ideal diffraction limit. But this isn't a case of all other things being equal, and won't be as capable.

Re:They're black!

[shis-ka-bob]

this is not an issue of resolution. This is an issue of of contrast. For example, a reflecting telescope w an 8 inch mirror will out resolve a 4 inch refractor. But the refractor's image of the moon will have dramatically more contrast.

If you point any of those cameras toward the sun, you will see flare. This is carefully explained in the video. To suppress flare, you need to stop reflections. On the glass, you can multilayer coatings. On the sensor, you can't do that. So you have to live with the reflection. If you have a concave lens element facing toward the camera body, you have a little concave mirror just waiting to reflect the specular reflection of the sun back onto your sensor. If the new sensors are black, they are not going to reflect much - so less flare.