Silicon CMOS image sensor microchips

Tender description

3D stacked back-side illuminated Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) Lot 1: EPSRC Quantic Project run by the University of Edinburgh requires that microchips be purchased to be a component in cameras that are being developed that require a 3D stacked back-side illuminated SPAD array to obtain the sensitivity required to detect neural activity, combined with an advanced digital bottom tier for digital image processing. This limits the number of potential manufacturers to only a few worldwide (aside from STMicroelectronics these are Sony, Samsung, TSMC, TowerJazz, AMS) as this is state-of-the-art technology developed in only the last few years through billions of dollars of capital investment. A previous NCA allowed us to purchase these Microchips and understand the Market in 2021 which has not moved in relation this commodity and market movement to consumers. What this has done however, has been to build a relationship with STMicroelectronic products. The University of Edinburgh through the EPSRC Qunatic Project has been engaged with STMicroelectronics and even if these manufacturers would make their technology available, the effort of porting the original design database to another manufacturer’s process would be prohibitive within the small resources of the research project, which builds on several years of continuous development in STMicroelectronics technology. If other manufacturers could or would make their technology available to UoE, there would be significant technical challenges in adapting to a new manufacturing process of the cameras. The time required to port our original design database to another manufacturer's process would be prohibitive within the small resources of our research project, which builds on 7 years of continuous development in STMicroelectronics technology through EPSRC Quantic Project (EP/T00097X/1). Thus, it would not be cost effective or feasible to proceed with an alternative manufacturer.