With this new image sensor lineup, mobile phones will get better integrated digital cameras capable of taking bigger and better pictures.

Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has upgraded and expanded Dynastron, the company’s line-up of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors for integration in mobile handsets. Two new models, the 3.2 megapixel ET8EE6-AS and 2.0 megapixel ET8EF2-AS, bring significant advances in cell size to cellular phones and other camera-enabled mobile devices.

Both new image sensors achieve advances in miniaturization while maintaining high resolution. With the ET8EE6-AS Toshiba reduces a 3.2 megapixel image sensor to a 1/3.2 optical format, surpassing the company’s previous 1/2.6-inch format size. ET8EF2-AS achieves a 2.0 megapixel count in a 1/4-inch optical format. Underlying these advances are a marked reduction in pixel pitch, from 2.7 to 2.2 microns(µm), combined with retention of a pixel size capable of recording high-resolution images.

The new sensors also offers low power consumption, smearless imaging (Smear: a vertical stripe in an image that can occur when photographs are taken in bright light conditions, such as direct sunshine) and high-speed operation, all essential requirements for personal mobile equipment, including camera phones and personal media centers. ET8EF2-AS also integrates an image signal processor (ISP), providing customers with the essential components for easily configuring a digital camera system.

The growing popularity of camera phones is spurring demand for improved image quality, but without any increase in handset size. With the launch of the 3.2-megapixel ET8EE6-AS and 2-megapixel ET8EF2-AS, Toshiba is positioned to provide mobile phone manufacturers with leading-edge support, and to reinforce its leadership in CMOS imaging.