Furthermore, as the pixel section and circuit section are formed as independent chips, a manufacturing process can be adopted, enabling the pixel section to be specialized for higher image quality while the circuit section can be specialized for higher functionality, thus simultaneously achieving higher image quality, superior functionality and a more compact size.

ENGADGET: Sony's new cameraphone CMOS jams bigger gear into the same space (video)

Following that, over the next five years, it will endeavor to create a lucid astronomic image of a section measuring an eighth of the total sky.

ENGADGET: DECam: Gazing deep into the final frontier in search of dark energy

This image sensor layers the pixel section containing formations of back-illuminated structure pixels onto chips containing the circuit section for signal processing, which is in place of supporting substrates for conventional back-illuminated CMOS image sensors.

ENGADGET: Sony's new cameraphone CMOS jams bigger gear into the same space (video)