ST Unveils Massive Image Sensor for Las Vegas Attraction

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor company, has successfully created a custom 316Mpixel 18K image sensor for Sphere Entertainment, a company with a super-high resolution cinema in Las Vegas.

The image sensor, which measures 99 x 83mm (82.4cm2), is designed to capture images at an impressive rate of 120 frames per second and transfer data at a staggering speed of 60Gbyte/s. This custom sensor, with its low noise, high dynamic range, and demanding yield requirements, posed a unique challenge for STMicroelectronics. However, the company's general manager of imaging, Alexandre Balmefrezol, expressed confidence in their ability to meet this challenge, stating, "Building a custom sensor of this size, resolution, and speed presented a truly novel challenge for ST – one that we met from the first wafer out of our 300mm fab in Crolles."

Sphere Entertainment, the customer for this custom image sensor, plans to integrate it into their own camera design, known as "Big Sky." This camera, which holds 10 patents, boasts the world's largest cinema camera sensor in commercial use and works in conjunction with the world's sharpest cinematic lenses. According to Sphere Entertainment, this innovative camera allows filmmakers to capture large-format images from a single camera, eliminating the need to stitch content together from multiple cameras. This feature not only avoids near distance limitations and seams between images but also enhances the overall filming experience.

The cinema itself, also named Sphere, is home to what Sphere Entertainment claims is the world's largest high-resolution LED screen. Spanning approximately 15,000m2 and boasting a resolution of 16K x 16K, this screen envelops the audience, creating a fully immersive visual environment. Sphere Entertainment describes it as a screen that "wraps up, over, and around the audience."

With the successful development of this custom image sensor, STMicroelectronics has once again demonstrated its expertise in the semiconductor industry. The collaboration between STMicroelectronics and Sphere Entertainment has resulted in cutting-edge technology that pushes the boundaries of cinema and offers filmmakers new possibilities for capturing stunning visuals.

Image credit: Spere Entertainment