Group 1: Core Insights - The CMOS image sensor (CIS) market is slowly recovering post-pandemic, driven by the increasing number of camera modules in smartphones and a growing preference for higher resolution cameras, such as the recent 200-megapixel models [3] - To integrate more pixels into compact smartphone designs, pixel size is being reduced to sub-micron levels, exemplified by the recent introduction of 0.5-micron deep sub-micron pixels [3] Group 2: Pixel Optical Miniaturization Journey - As pixel area decreases, sensitivity per pixel also declines. The evolution of pixel optical architecture aims to enhance signal reception and reduce noise, maintaining comparable signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) despite pixel scaling [4] - Techniques such as color filter technology and pixel merging (e.g., 2x2 and 4x4 pixel configurations) have emerged to improve image quality in various lighting conditions, allowing for the scaling of sub-micron pixels [4] - The main challenge in maintaining reasonable sensitivity in sub-micron pixels arises from the diffraction limit of micro-lenses, leading to optical losses due to traditional metal color filter isolation grids [4] Group 3: Transition to Super-Optical Technology - Traditional optical structures face a maximum sensitivity barrier at given pixel sizes, with over half of the incident light absorbed by color filters in green pixels. Recent attempts to adopt super-optical technology have shown promising results [5] - The proposed nano-prism technology acts as a color router and lens larger than the pixel, capturing more light from adjacent color pixels, thereby increasing sensitivity by 25% [5] - Super-optical technology is still in its early stages for sensor applications but has demonstrated potential advantages, such as achieving extreme pixel scaling (0.22-micron pixel pitch) and enhancing color accuracy [6]