The Evolution Of Digital Imaging: From CCD To CMOS

Digital imaging began with the invention of the charge-coupled device (CCD) in 1969. Since then, the technologies used to convert light into electrical charges have become increasingly efficient. The processes for transforming optical to digital have evolved. Since its inception decades ago, digital imaging has progressed through improvements in CCDs and with the emergence of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. And now CMOS is becoming a leading imaging technology.

In the Beginning...
On February 21, 2006 the National Academy of Engineering awarded Drs. Willard Boyle and George Smith the Charles Stark Draper Prize, one of engineering's highest honors, for developing the charge-coupled device (CCD) while they were both researchers in the Semiconductor Components Division at Bell Laboratories in 1969.

In a sense, Boyle and Smith were the grandfathers of the digital imaging revolution, which has all but converted cameras and video recorders from film to electrons. Their invention was first implemented commercially in television cameras in 1975. From there, CCD technology made possible a variety of new devices over the ensuing decades, like digital document scanners, bar code readers, digital copiers, and dozens of other business tools.