Bright outlook seen for image sensors

Research company iSuppli is projecting that the worldwide image-sensor market will grow to include 733 million units shipped in 2008, up from 253 million units in 2003, because of the popularity of camera phones and digital cameras.

Additionally, the sensor market will shift from charge-couple devices, the basic type of sensor used today, to sensors made with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology, the same basic method for making microprocessors, said Shyam Nagrani, an analyst with iSuppli. The proliferation of CMOS manufacturing makes it easier to reduce costs and improve the performance of chips. CMOS sensor sales will rise 40 percent each year from 2003 to 2008, the company predicted, compared with 12 percent for charge-couple devices.