Everything about curved CMOS sensors — specifications, curvature, manufacturing, applications, and ordering. Can't find your answer? Get in touch.
A curved sensor is a CMOS sensor whose photosensitive surface follows the natural focal surface of the lens — much like the retina of the human eye. This eliminates the field-curvature aberrations inherent to flat sensors, without requiring corrective lenses.
Four properties intrinsic to the curved geometry: zero optical distortion by design, 100% illumination uniformity (no vignetting or edge roll-off), elimination of field curvature, and a uniform PSF across the entire field of view.
Yes. Same physical footprint, same pinout, same signal levels. Electrical integration is identical to the original flat sensor.
No. The correction is built in mechanically — no software compensation is needed.
Three models, all curved at R = 150 mm (concave): the CMV4000 (4 MP, 2048×2048, 1" format, 180 fps), the CMV12000 (12 MP, 4096×3072, 1.7" format, 300 fps at 10-bit / 132 fps at 12-bit), and the CMV20000 (20 MP, 5120×3840, 35 mm full-frame, 30 fps).
5.5 µm for the CMV4000 and CMV12000, and 6.4 µm for the CMV20000.
Global shutter on all three models — no rolling shutter, so no motion distortion.
60 dB in standard mode on all three models. Extended HDR modes are available (dual exposure, piecewise-linear response).
10/12-bit for the CMV4000, 8/10/12-bit for the CMV12000, and 12-bit for the CMV20000.
LVDS (Low-Voltage Differential Signaling) for data and SPI for configuration. 16 LVDS channels on the CMV4000 and CMV20000, 64 channels on the CMV12000. Speed: 480 Mbps (CMV4000/CMV20000), 600 Mbps (CMV12000).
Yes, CRA = 0° on Curve One sensors.
CMV4000: PGA / LGA / LCC (3.36 × 18.65 × 18.65 mm). CMV12000: µPGA. CMV20000: Ceramic PGA. Cover-glass options: AR-coated, plain, or no glass.
150 mm (concave) for the Curve One family. Custom radii are available on demand.
5 µm peak-to-valley (Δh).
Yes: spherical (convex and concave), toroidal, off-axis, and freeform surfaces are all achievable.
Four steps: wafer selection and characterization, thinning with a profile optimized for the target radius, the curving operation by controlled mechanical deformation, then packaging (wire-bonding) and full electro-optical characterization.
Yes. Uniform batches of 10+ units. The process is scalable, from single prototype to mass production.
The largest curved sensor ever produced is the GigaPyx: 46 megapixels, 108 × 24 mm² active area, with off-axis, toroidal and freeform curvatures.
ISO Class 5 cleanroom in Marseille (38 rue Frédéric Joliot-Curie, 13013). Administrative office in Levallois-Perret (19 rue Rivay, 92300). European sovereign manufacturing.
The curving process is fully compatible with BSI architectures. However, curved BSI sensors are not currently held in stock — they are produced on demand.
Curve One standard-range sensors (ams-OSRAM CMV series) are FSI (front-side illuminated). At 5.5 µm pixel pitch, quantum efficiency and sensitivity are well-suited to controlled environments (studio, structured light).
Yes — a patented semiconductor-curving technology, originating from CNRS/LAM research.
Yes — the only company in the world offering series production of curved sensors.
About 40% fewer optical elements (removal of field-correction lenses), up to 40% mass reduction and 60% volume reduction of the optical system.
Over 70% sharpness improvement across the full FOV (>2.5× edge-to-edge image quality compared to an equivalent flat sensor).
Up to 185° with no compromise on image quality — notably with the CURVE-ONE80 fisheye camera.
A hemispherical fisheye camera combining a patented curved sensor with an optimized fisheye optical design: 180° FOV, 100% illumination, −50% optical elements versus a conventional fisheye, and ×2 zoom capability.
Space (telescopes, Earth observation, SmallSats, GPS-denied navigation), defense and drones (reconnaissance, surveillance, situational awareness), maritime (onboard hemispherical vision), medical (endoscopy, microscopy, high-resolution brain imaging with freeform sensors), automotive (autonomous navigation), VR/AR, and photography/cinema production.
Yes. The WFAI (Wide Field Auroral Imager) uses a UV-enhanced curved sensor: 3.3 MP, 10 µm pitch, 112 mm radius, over 30 × 17 mm², optimized for 130–160 nm.
Yes. The HDPYX 330-G: 2160 × 1536 active pixels, 4.4 µm pixel pitch, freeform curvature matching biological tissue geometry (8 mm minimum radius), designed for high-resolution brain imaging.
Two main ones: CASTLE (an all-reflective folded Schmidt telescope with a curved focal plane, 3.7 deg², homogeneous PSF, zero chromatic aberration) and WFAI (a UV auroral imager, 60°×60° FOV, 3 lenses instead of 6).
Yes. The curved CMV4000 was flight-validated on the STAR_Curve 52° platform (star tracker).
CNRS, LAM (Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille), ESA, ESO, CSL (Centre Spatial de Liège), and European Union funding (H2020). The founder is an ERC Grant laureate and CNRS Bronze Medal recipient.
Yes. Single units for proof-of-concept evaluation can be arranged on demand.
Target quantity (PoC units and anticipated production volume), preferred model, and your specific use case.
Our team — including our CSO and Head of R&D — is ready to discuss your specific imaging requirements.
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