Eastman Kodak and TSMC Collaborate on Sensors

Eastman Kodak Co. of Rochester, N.Y., and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) of Hsinchu, Taiwan, have signed a licensing agreement for the manufacture of next-generation CMOS image sensors. The arrangement is part of Kodak’s plan to use its intellectual property for mass-market consumer imaging applications.

Under the agreement, TSMC will have access to a number of Kodak technologies, including four-transistor and pinned photodiode pixel architectures. The technology is expected to address the growing markets for mobile phones and digital still cameras. Kodak and other sensor design businesses will use TSMC’s manufacturing process licensed under the agreement.