High Res TIFF (2.7 MB)

Active Pixel Sensor in the Palm of your Hand

Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor Active Pixel Sensors (CMOS APS).

Recognizing the continuing need for lightweight imaging systems especially for interplanetary spacecraft applications, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory began research on a second-generation solid state image sensor technology. The realization of that research occurred in late 1992 with the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor Active Pixel Sensors (CMOS APS).

By consolidating functions and reading images more efficiently, the CMOS APS requires one-hundredth the power of a CCD system. The APS also provides JPL with a chip that not only requires less power, but is lighter and less susceptible to radiation damage in space, thereby achieving the goal of smaller, cheaper fabrications enabling affordability of future missions and good science return.

Read More About It:

Success Story:

http://techtransfer.jpl.nasa.gov/success/success.html

Ongoing Technology Development:

http://csmt.jpl.nasa.gov/csmtpages/APS/index.html