In digital camera the image intensity function is only measured in discrete sensor elements.

A linear sensor has 10,000 sensor elements that use charge-coupled device technology.

The height of the cavity is relative to the external pressure that the sensor element is being exposed to.

When the pressure surrounding the sensor element is changing, the reflected light signal will change.

The sensor element is produced in silicon using microstructure processes originating from the semiconductor industry.

The sensor element is maintained at a constant temperature by a small direct current.

Pairs of sensor elements may be wired as opposite inputs to a differential amplifier.

The camera interpolates the color information of neighboring sensor elements, through a process called demosaicing, to create the final image.

These sensor elements are often called "pixels", even though they only record 1 channel (only red, or green, or blue) of the final color image.

The latter three types include sensor elements that typically last up to 10 years.