JP2004207980A - Light distribution type imaging device and imaging method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging device capable of photographing an object to be photographed at a high signal-to-noise ratio, and moreover with sureness. <P>SOLUTION: The object which can be a subject of imaging is converted into a fluorescent image, and the fluorescent image is distributed into two fluorescent images by an optical distribution section 2. The object which is a subject for imaging can be photographed at a high S/N ratio, by using one of the distributed images, and obtaining gate-on signals for the shutter of an imaging section 4 for photographing the remaining one fluorescent image, and an electron multiplier for amplifying a fluorescent image to be inputted into the imaging section. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus capable of detecting an event that occurs irregularly in nature at a high speed and recording the event.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Events that occur irregularly in the natural world, such as the arrival and movement of weak electromagnetic waves or the occurrence and disappearance of light, are recognized and recorded in nanoseconds. A method using a recording device operated by giving a trigger generated based on the same has already been put to practical use.
[0003]
For example, by operating an imaging device that can operate in about nanoseconds within the existence period of the detected event, it is possible to relatively easily image an event to be recorded.
[0004]
The detection device (trigger output unit) includes, for example, a high-speed detector capable of recognizing an event in a period of nanoseconds or less, a signal processing circuit, and the like.
[0005]
The signal processing circuit includes an arbitrary number of logic circuits for specifying whether the event detected by the high-speed detector is an event to be imaged.
[0006]
The imaging device is operated so that an event to be imaged can be imaged by using a specific logic result output from the logic circuit as a trigger. That is, a special event that has caused a specific logical result is selectively imaged.
[0007]
It should be noted that the event detected by the detection device and the imaging device and / or the imaging device and / or the restriction on the size and arrangement of the detection device due to the size of the space or region where the event occurs, the size of the event itself, and the like. The events to be imaged are not always the same.
[0008]
In addition, since many events to be imaged have very short existence (appearance) times, it is also important to shorten the timing for operating the imaging device, that is, the time required for the detection device to recognize the event. .
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, the event detected by the detection device and the event captured by the imaging device often differ.
[0010]
For this reason, the event captured by the imaging device and the event detected by the detection device at the time (moment) when the trigger is output do not always match, and the captured event is wasted. There is. This is nothing but failure to capture the event that should be captured.
[0011]
An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus capable of reliably imaging an event to be imaged with a high signal-to-noise ratio.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has been made based on the above-mentioned problems,
An imaging mechanism that captures a fluorescent image;
A first image intensifier for converting an event to be imaged into a fluorescent image,
The fluorescent image provided between the imaging mechanism and the first image intensifier and separated from the fluorescent image output from the first image tube into a first fluorescent image and a second fluorescent image. A distributor for guiding the second fluorescent image to the imaging mechanism;
A timing setting device that defines an imaging timing for operating the imaging mechanism from the first fluorescence image separated by the distributor;
A light distribution type imaging device characterized by having:
[0013]
The invention also provides
An input detection device that converts input information into fluorescence and its distribution and amplifies it,
An imaging mechanism for imaging the fluorescence and distribution converted by the input detection device;
A separation device provided between the imaging mechanism and the input detection device, for separating the fluorescence obtained by the input detection device and its distribution into two fluorescences having a predetermined light intensity and its distribution,
Separated by this separation device, a timing setting device that sets the timing of operating the imaging mechanism from fluorescence and distribution different from the fluorescence and its distribution guided to the imaging mechanism,
The input detection device converts the electromagnetic wave, which is input information, into fluorescent light and its distribution once, converts the output fluorescent light and its distribution into light-electron conversion, and amplifies the obtained electrons into fluorescent light and its distribution. Including a first image intensifier to output
The imaging mechanism includes a proximity electron multiplier, and the operation timing of the proximity electron multiplier can be arbitrarily set by an external trigger. Including a camera whose imaging operation is controlled in accordance with the instructed operation timing,
The timing setting device includes a multi-anode photomultiplier with a signal processing circuit capable of specifying the intensity or the moving direction or both of the input information input to the input detection device,
The same fluorescence and its distribution are provided by supplying a trigger as the imaging timing to the imaging device based on the result of specifying the intensity and / or moving direction of the input information output from the multi-anode photomultiplier. This is a light distribution type imaging device capable of imaging only arbitrary input information by a trigger signal obtained from the image forming apparatus.
[0014]
Furthermore, this invention
Receiving events that occur arbitrarily,
Distributing the received fluorescence image into a first fluorescence image and a second fluorescence image,
Based on the first fluorescent image, specify the intensity and / or the moving direction of the received fluorescent image,
Based on the specified result, generate a trigger as an imaging timing,
An imaging method characterized in that the amplification device is operated by the generated trigger to amplify the second fluorescence image and to capture the amplified fluorescence image.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
FIG. 1 schematically shows the configuration of an imaging device to help understand the claims.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 1, a recording device, that is, an optical distribution type high-speed imaging device (hereinafter, referred to as an imaging device) is, for example, an event that appears (occurs) at random in the natural world, that is, the arrival of a weak electromagnetic wave or the generation of light. And an event input unit 1 for converting the disappearance or the movement thereof into a fluorescent image and a fluorescent image as an aggregate thereof, and a fluorescent image output converted into a fluorescent image by the event input unit 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as a fluorescent image) ) To two fluorescent images (different in intensity) from each other, a signal processing unit 3 for generating a predetermined signal based on one fluorescent image distributed by the light distributing unit 2, and a distributor. And an imaging unit 4 for recording the other fluorescence image.
[0018]
Note that the imaging unit 4 is arranged on the side on which the high-intensity (bright) fluorescent image of the two fluorescent images distributed by the light distribution unit 2 is guided.
[0019]
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a specific configuration of the imaging device illustrated in FIG.
[0020]
The event input unit 1 detects arrival of an electromagnetic wave of a predetermined wavelength (incident electromagnetic wave to the input unit 1) and movement (temporal displacement of an electromagnetic wave whose main component is defined in a direction different from that of the input unit 1). And an image intensifier 11 capable of outputting a fluorescent image corresponding to the intensity of the electromagnetic wave.
[0021]
The light distribution unit 2 includes an optical member 21 having a predetermined transmittance with respect to the wavelength of the light of the fluorescent image output from the image intensifier 11.
[0022]
The signal processing unit 3 receives one of the two fluorescent images distributed by the optical member 21 and outputs an electric signal corresponding to the intensity of the fluorescent image, and an output from the photoelectric conversion unit 31. And a logic circuit section 32 for extracting the characteristics of the obtained electric signal.
[0023]
The imaging section 4 receives a second one of the two fluorescent images distributed by the optical member 21 and amplifies the intensity of the other one of the two fluorescent images, and an output output from the image intensifier 41. An image pickup device 42 for picking up a fluorescent image, that is, an aggregate of fluorescent light or fluorescent light constituting the aggregate, and a point in time at which the fluorescent image O3 is input to the second image intensifier 41 are used to determine the fluorescent image O1 by the beam split mirror 21. And a period optimizing mechanism (delay mechanism) 43 that can be set to a predetermined period (timing) from the point at which the image is distributed to the two fluorescent images. The delay mechanism 43 is located between the beam split mirror 21 and the second image intensifier 41.
[0024]
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the imaging device (recording device) described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 3, the image intensifier 11 of the event input unit 1 is located on the input side, that is, the side on which an electromagnetic wave of a predetermined wavelength arrives, and a photoelectric conversion surface 12 that receives the incident electromagnetic wave and performs photoelectric conversion, An output fluorescent screen 13 is located on the output side opposite to the input side and converts the electromagnetic wave amplified by the image intensifier 11 into a fluorescent image, that is, a visible image, and outputs the fluorescent image. Note that a high voltage of, for example, 20 kV is supplied between the photoelectric conversion surface 12 and the output fluorescent surface 13 by the power supply device 14.
[0026]
More specifically, the event received by the input unit 1, that is, the generation and disappearance of the electromagnetic waves and light described above, is converted by the photoelectric conversion surface 12 into electrons E1.
[0027]
The electrons E <b> 1 are accelerated by a high voltage of, for example, 20 kV applied to the acceleration electrode and the focusing electrode 15, amplified at a preset amplification factor, and focused on the fluorescent screen 13. Therefore, the fluorescent image O1 in which the electromagnetic wave input to the photoelectric conversion surface 12 is amplified at a predetermined amplification rate is output to the output side of the fluorescent surface 13. In this embodiment, the image intensifier 11 is, for example, an image intensifier having a photoelectron conversion surface 12 having a diameter of 10 cm and a fluorescent surface 13 having a diameter of 2.5 cm and a magnification of 0.25. In addition, by using an image intensifier having a larger diameter for the photoelectric conversion surface 12, the sensitivity of receiving the input electromagnetic wave can be increased.
[0028]
The fluorescent image O1 output from the fluorescent screen 13 of the image intensifier 11 is converted into two fluorescent images of a predetermined intensity, that is, first and second fluorescent images O2 and O3 by an optical member (distributor) 21 of the light distribution unit 2. Distributed to The distributor 21 is a beam split mirror that reflects a part of the incident fluorescent image O1 and transmits the rest.
[0029]
The beam split mirror 21 is a kind of half mirror, and has a light intensity (amount of light, hereinafter referred to as a transmittance) passing through the beam split mirror 21 and an intensity (amount of light, hereinafter referred to as a reflectance) of light not transmitted and reflected. In the case where the decrease in transmittance due to absorption by itself is not taken into account, for example, the ratio is set to 30 (transmittance) versus 70 (reflectance). In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, the transmittance (1−reflectance) is set such that a large amount of light (a fluorescent image thereof) can be supplied to the imaging device side of the imaging unit 4 provided at the subsequent stage. The light intensity can be set to less than 1/2, and the ratio between the transmittance and the reflectance can be set to, for example, 45:55, 35:65, or 25:75.
[0030]
Also, here, an example is described in which the transmittance of the beam split mirror 21 is set so that a large amount of light can be supplied to the imaging unit 4 side, but the light amount of the fluorescent image supplied to the imaging unit 4 is arbitrarily set. it can. For example, when the light amount of the fluorescent image supplied to the imaging unit 4 is small (the light amount), it is sufficient to appropriately amplify the light amount before the imaging apparatus.
[0031]
The first fluorescence image O2 distributed by the beam split mirror 21 and traveling along the optical path 23 enters the signal processing unit 3. On the other hand, the second fluorescent image O3 that travels along the optical path 25 is incident on the imaging unit 4.
[0032]
The signal processing unit 3 includes the photoelectric conversion unit 31, the logic circuit unit 32, and the gate / shutter control circuit 33, as described above.
[0033]
For the photoelectric conversion unit 31, a two-dimensional position detector (for example, a multi-anode photomultiplier) is used.
[0034]
The multi-anode photomultiplier 31 has a mesh dynode divided into m (= 8) rows × n (= 8) columns = A (= 64) ch (channel), and the dynode to which the fluorescent image O2 is input. Only the anode outputs electrons E2 obtained by photoelectrically converting the fluorescent image O2. It should be noted that the time required until the fluorescent image incident on each anode of the multi-anode photomultiplier 31 is photoelectrically converted and output as the electron E2 is about 10-9 seconds (1 nanosecond).
[0035]
The electrons E2 output from any of the anodes of the multi-anode photomultiplier 31 will be described below in detail with reference to FIG. It is detected that the outgoing time can be set. That is, the outputs of the discrimination circuits 321 and 322 include the position information of the electron E2 output from each anode of the multi-anode photomultiplier 31 in the X-axis direction (m rows) and the Y-axis direction (n columns). . Accordingly, for example, the position (m × n coordinates) on the anode and the individual electrons E2 are output to the individual discriminating circuits 321 and 322 for the entire period during which the electrons E2 are output from the multi-anode photomultiplier 31. By associating (calculating) the time, the time and position in which the first fluorescent image O2 (electromagnetic wave incident on the image intensifier 12) appears, the direction of movement, and the like can be used. .
[0036]
The output of each of the discrimination circuits 321 and 322 is used for a predetermined logic determination by a trigger generation circuit (for example, a logic determination circuit) 323 located at a subsequent stage. That is, the outputs of the two discrimination circuits 321 and 322 are logically determined by the logic determination circuit 323 based on a predetermined determination logic set in advance. Therefore, when a specific logical determination result according to the determination logic is obtained, a trigger for operating the imaging device of the imaging unit 4 is generated from the logical determination circuit 323.
[0037]
The timing of the specific logic determination result (trigger for the gate / shutter) of the logic determination circuit 323 is optimized using the gate / shutter control circuit 33 as shown in FIG. It is input to the tensifier 41 and the imaging device 42.
[0038]
Further, without using the gate / shutter control circuit 33, the material of the fluorescent screen 413 of the second image intensifier, which will be described later, The timing may be optimized by selecting the thickness.
[0039]
Note that if the difference between the processing time required for the logic determination circuit 323 and the event occurrence time is small (or if the event occurs slowly, that is, if the event appears for a long time). Alternatively, the output from the multi-anode photomultiplier 31 may be directly input to the logic determination circuit 323.
[0040]
The fluorescence image O3 reflected by the beam split mirror 21 toward the delay mechanism 43 of the imaging unit 4 is transmitted through the beam split mirror 21 by the delay mechanism 43, and the fluorescence image O2 input to the signal processing unit 3 is logically converted. The signal is delayed by a second period longer than the first period, which is the time from when the logical determination is performed by the determination circuit 323 to when the trigger is generated, and is input to the second image intensifier 41.
[0041]
More specifically, the delay mechanism 43 is a third image intensifier, which receives the second fluorescent image O3 distributed by the beam split mirror 21 of the light distributor 2 and converts the received second fluorescent image O3 into electrons E3. It includes an electron conversion surface 431 and a fluorescent surface 432 that converts the electrons E3 output from the photo-electron conversion surface 431 into a fluorescent image O4. The phosphor screen 432 can set the time for inputting the fluorescent image O4 to the subsequent second image intensifier 41, that is, the delay time, to a predetermined length depending on the characteristics of the material and the thickness thereof.
[0042]
The second image intensifier 41 is a proximity type image intensifier and includes a well-known electron multiplier (MCP = microchannel plate) 412.
[0043]
The fluorescent image O4 output from the fluorescent screen 432 of the third image intensifier 43 and input to the proximity type image intensifier 41 is converted into an electron E4 by the photo-electron conversion surface 411, and the MCP 412 is changed to a predetermined size. The amplified electron E5 is output and converted into a fluorescent image O5 by the fluorescent screen 413. A predetermined voltage is applied between the MCP 412 and the photoelectric conversion surface 411 by the power supply 414. Note that the power supply 414 is provided with a gate, and a gate-on signal is input to the gate only when a specific logical determination result is obtained as a result of the logical determination in the logical determination circuit 323 of the signal processing unit 3. Is done.
[0044]
That is, the fluorescence image O4 input to the proximity type (second) image intensifier 41 is sequentially converted into electrons E4 by the photo-electron conversion surface 411, and the electrons E4 are converted to the MCP 412 and the photo-electrons. Since the signal is amplified by the MCP 412 only while the gate-on signal is input to the power supply 414 between the conversion surface 411 and the power supply 414, the signal-to-noise ratio, that is, S / N is improved.
[0045]
The timing at which the gate-on signal is input to the power supply 414 between the MCP 412 and the photoelectric conversion surface 411 is determined by the gate / shutter control circuit 33 of the signal processing unit 3 of the imaging device 42 described later with reference to FIG. The optimum timing is set in association with the timing at which the shutter is operated.
[0046]
The fluorescent image O5 output to the output fluorescent screen 413 of the second image intensifier 41 is an image (here, fluorescent image O5) only while the shutter control circuit 33 instructs the shutter 421-1 to open. The image is captured by the image-capturing device with shutter 42 capable of capturing an image. The imaging device 42 includes a solid-state imaging device 421 such as a CCD sensor or a CMOS image sensor.
[0047]
Since the shutter 421-1 is opened only for a preset period only when the shutter 421-1 is instructed to open, the imaging device with shutter 42 has at least, for example, as described below with reference to FIG. The noise component is imaged by opening the shutter 421-1 only from the time immediately before the electron E5 amplified by the operation of the MCP 412 to the phosphor screen 413 until the existence time of the electron E4 elapses. Can be suppressed. As a result, the signal-to-noise ratio, that is, the S / N of the fluorescence image O5 captured by the imaging device 42 is improved.
[0048]
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the signal processing unit 3.
[0049]
An output output from an arbitrary row of the multi-anode photomultiplier 31 is thresholded by a discrimination circuit 321 and input to a logic determination circuit 323. Similarly, an output output from an arbitrary column of the multiplier 31 is thresholded by the discrimination circuit 322 and input to the logic determination circuit 323.
[0050]
As described above with reference to FIG. 3, the logic determination circuit 323 only outputs a result of a logic determination based on a predetermined determination logic set in advance and a specific logic determination result along the determination logic. , A trigger is output to the gate / shutter control circuit 33.
[0051]
At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, immediately before the gate-on signal is input to the power supply 414 between the MCP 412 of the second image intensifier 41 and the photoelectric conversion surface 411, the shutter 421-21 of the imaging device 42. A shutter release signal is output from the gate / shutter control circuit 33 to the shutter 421-1 at a predetermined timing so that 1 is released. Accordingly, the shutter 421-1 is opened for a predetermined opening time, and the imaging device 42 can capture the fluorescent image O5.
[0052]
Also, as shown in FIG. 5, after a predetermined time elapses after the shutter open signal is supplied from the gate / shutter control circuit 33 to the shutter 421-1, the electrons E4 converted by the photo-electron conversion surface 411 can enter the MCP 412. Then, when the gate-on signal is supplied to the power supply 414 between the MCP 412 and the photoelectric conversion surface 411, the MCP 412 is turned on for a predetermined time. Therefore, the fluorescence image O5 obtained by converting only the electron E5 amplified by the MCP 412 by the output fluorescent screen 413 while the shutter 421-1 of the imaging device 42 is opened is guided to the imaging device 42.
[0053]
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5A, when a gate-on signal is supplied from the gate / shutter control circuit 33 of the signal processing unit 3 to the power supply 414 between the MCP 412 and the photoelectric conversion surface 411. 5B, before the gate-on signal is supplied to the power supply 414 between the MCP 412 and the photoelectric conversion surface 411, the shutter control signal is supplied to the shutter 421-1 of the imaging device 42. Supplied.
[0054]
More specifically, when the MCP 412 is not operating before the gate-on signal is supplied to the power supply 414 of the MCP 412, the voltage A2 in FIG. 5A is used, and the shutter control signal is supplied to the shutter 421-1 of the imaging device 42. The state where the voltage is not applied is the voltage B2 in FIG.
[0055]
When the gate-on signal is input to the power supply 414 of the MCP, the voltage A2 in FIG. 5A is changed to the voltage A1 to be in the gate-on state. Accelerated towards Times T1 and T2 shown in FIG. 5A are times when the gate-on signal is supplied from the gate / shutter control circuit 33 of the signal processing unit 3 to the power supply 414 of the MCP. That is, the fluorescence image O5 to be imaged, which is amplified only while the MCP 412 of the proximity image intensifier 41 is operating, is captured by the solid-state coupling element 421 of the imaging device 42.
[0056]
Note that, as is clear from FIG. 5B, the shutter 421-1 of the imaging device 42 has a period slightly longer than the period T1 to T2 during which the gate-on signal is supplied to the MCP 412 of the proximity image intensifier 41. Since the shutter control signal is supplied between T3 and T4, the shutter 421-1 of the solid-state imaging device 421 is closed while the power supply 414 between the MCP 412 and the photoelectric conversion surface 411 is on. There is no. Thereby, the imaging target amplified by the MCP 412, that is, the fluorescence image O5 is reliably captured by the solid-state imaging device 421.
[0057]
The time T3 to T4 during which the shutter 421-1 of the solid-state imaging device 421 is opened is compared with the shortest operation time (one frame) required for the solid-state imaging device 421 to capture an image (fluorescent image O5). Is set to a short time, the fluorescence image O5 can be captured only for a short time while the imaging target (fluorescent image O5) is being input, together with the time T1 to T2 during which the MCP 412 described above is operated. is there. This improves the signal-to-noise ratio, or S / N.
[0058]
The gate / shutter control circuit 33 controls the timing for sufficiently opening the shutter of the imaging unit 4 and does not use the gate / shutter control circuit 33, but uses the second image intensifier. The timing may be controlled by selecting the material of the fluorescent screen 413.
[0059]
As described above, the recording apparatus of the present invention uses a fluorescent image generated based on an event to be imaged, that is, a fluorescent image generated based on the occurrence and disappearance of an electromagnetic wave or light, from the same fluorescent image obtained by distribution by a distributor. A shutter control signal for opening the shutter and a gate-on signal for controlling amplification by the MCP are obtained. From this, the fluorescent image captured by the imaging device is the same as the image (event) determined to be an image (event) to be captured by the signal processing unit.
[0060]
In the imaging device of the present invention, a fluorescent image in which electrons amplified by the proximity electron multiplier are converted on the output phosphor screen is guided to the imaging device only while the shutter of the imaging device is opened. . Therefore, except for a short time before and after the fluorescence image is captured by the imaging device, input of undesired information or disturbance, that is, noise, to the imaging device is suppressed. As a result, the fluorescence image picked up by the image pickup device is suppressed from being buried in noise, and an image with a high S / N can be obtained.
[0061]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an imaging apparatus capable of reliably imaging an event to be imaged with a high signal-to-noise ratio.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a recording apparatus according to the invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example in which the embodiment of the present invention is applied to a light distribution type imaging apparatus as an example of the recording apparatus shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of the light distribution type imaging device illustrated in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a signal processing unit incorporated in the light distribution type imaging apparatus described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3;
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of improving the signal-to-noise ratio, that is, S / N, by the light distribution type imaging apparatus described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... input detection device (event input unit)
2 ... Distributor (light distribution unit)
3 ... Signal processing unit (timing setting device)
4 ... Imaging unit
11 ... first image intensifier (input detection device),
12 ... photo-electron conversion surface,
13 ... Output phosphor screen,
14 ... power supply device,
15 ・ ・ ・ Acceleration electrode and focusing electrode,
21: Beam split mirror (optical member),
23, 25 ... optical path,
31 ··· Multi-anode photomultiplier (photoelectric conversion unit)
32 ... logic circuit section
321, 322... Discrimination circuit,
323: logic judgment circuit,
33 gate / shutter control circuit
4 ... Imaging unit
41 ... second image intensifier (proximity type image intensifier)
411: photo-electron conversion surface 412: MCP (micro channel plate),
413: phosphor screen 414: power supply (between light-electron conversion surface-MCP),
42... Imaging device (imaging device with shutter)
421: solid-state imaging device,
43 ... third image intensifier (delay mechanism),
431 ... photo-electron conversion surface,
432 ... output fluorescent screen,
O2: transmitted light (fluorescent image)
O3: reflected light (fluorescent image)
O4, O5 ... fluorescent image.

Claims (11)

An imaging mechanism that captures a fluorescent image;
A first image intensifier for converting an event to be imaged into a fluorescent image,
The fluorescent image provided between the imaging mechanism and the first image intensifier and separated from the fluorescent image output from the first image tube into a first fluorescent image and a second fluorescent image. A distributor for guiding the second fluorescent image to the imaging mechanism;
A timing setting device that defines an imaging timing for operating the imaging mechanism from the first fluorescence image separated by the distributor;
A light distribution type imaging device comprising: A second image intensifier tube configured to amplify the second fluorescence image separated by the distributor by being supplied with an imaging timing signal defined by the timing setting device; and the imaging timing signal. Has a third image intensifier for optimizing the timing of supply to the second image intensifier, and an imaging device for capturing a fluorescent image output from the second image intensifier. The light distribution type imaging device according to claim 1, wherein: The light distribution type imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the second image intensifier includes an electron multiplier operated in synchronization with an imaging timing signal from the timing setting device. 3. The light distribution type imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second image intensifier tube includes a phosphor having a predetermined electron-light conversion characteristic. The light distribution type imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the third image intensifier includes a phosphor having a predetermined electron-light conversion characteristic. The light distribution type imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the timing setting device includes a multi-anode photomultiplier. The light distribution type imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device includes a solid-state imaging device. The light distribution type imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the solid-state imaging device includes a CCD camera whose shutter is operated by a timing signal from the timing setting device. 8. The light distribution type imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the solid state imaging device includes a CMOS type imaging device that is operated only while a timing signal is supplied from the timing setting device. An input detection device that converts input information into fluorescence and its distribution and amplifies it,
An imaging mechanism for imaging the fluorescence and distribution converted by the input detection device;
A separation device provided between the imaging mechanism and the input detection device, for separating the fluorescence obtained by the input detection device and its distribution into two fluorescences having a predetermined light intensity and its distribution;
Separated by this separation device, a timing setting device that sets the timing of operating the imaging mechanism from fluorescence and distribution different from the fluorescence and its distribution guided to the imaging mechanism,
The input detection device converts the electromagnetic wave, which is input information, into fluorescent light and its distribution once, converts the output fluorescent light and its distribution into light-electron conversion, and converts the obtained electrons into amplified fluorescent light and its distribution. Including a first image intensifier to output
The imaging mechanism includes a proximity electron multiplier, and the operation timing of the proximity electron multiplier can be arbitrarily set by an external trigger. Including a camera whose imaging operation is controlled in accordance with the instructed operation timing,
The timing setting device includes a multi-anode photomultiplier with a signal processing circuit capable of specifying the intensity or the moving direction or both of the input information input to the input detection device,
The same fluorescence and its distribution are provided by supplying a trigger as the imaging timing to the imaging device based on the result of specifying the intensity and / or moving direction of the input information output from the multi-anode photomultiplier. A light distribution type image pickup apparatus capable of picking up only arbitrary input information by using a trigger signal obtained from the apparatus. Receiving events that occur arbitrarily,
Distributing the received fluorescence image into a first fluorescence image and a second fluorescence image,
Based on the first fluorescent image, specify the intensity and / or the moving direction of the received fluorescent image,
Based on the specified result, generate a trigger as an imaging timing,
Operating the amplifying device by the generated trigger to amplify the second fluorescent image and capture the amplified fluorescent image;
An imaging method characterized in that:

Images