JP2014199242A - Fluorescence detection unit, optical sensor device, and authenticity-discerning method for valuable papers - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify a configuration of a fluorescence detection unit of a fluorescent image processing device for valuable papers, such as valuable securities and bank notes, the configuration allowing accurate authenticity-discerning of valuable papers to be performed by irradiating the valuable papers with ultraviolet light of a specific wavelength and receiving fluorescence thereby using a light receiver which is sensitive to light of a visible light wavelength or longer but is insensitive to the ultraviolet light.SOLUTION: Authenticity-discerning of a valuable paper is performed by: irradiating the valuable paper S with ultraviolet light in a wavelength range of 250-350 nm, from an ultraviolet LED light source 22; detecting fluorescence from the valuable paper S using a fluorescence detection unit 24 comprising a light receiver whose detection sensitivity limit on the short wavelength side is longer than 350 nm; and making a signal processing unit 33 process the detection signal.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fluorescence detection apparatus, and in particular, an optical spot sensor device or an optical line sensor device (hereinafter collectively referred to as an “optical sensor device”) for the purpose of distinguishing valuable securities, banknotes, credit cards and the like (hereinafter referred to as valuable paper surface or medium). The present invention relates to a fluorescence detection device suitably used in the above.

  With recent remarkable improvements in printing and copying technologies, counterfeiting of banknotes, securities, credit cards, etc. has become increasingly sophisticated, and the social order is maintained by accurately identifying and eliminating these counterfeits. Because it is important. In particular, in devices that handle banknotes, such as ATMs, banknote handling machines, change machines, and ticket machines, there is a strong demand for a discrimination system for the purpose of authenticity determination with higher speed and higher performance.

  As a method for discriminating these bills and securities, pattern identification using an optical sensor device has been used for some time. The optical sensor device includes an optical spot sensor device that performs denomination and authenticity determination based on information on a specific position, and an optical line sensor device that extracts information on the entire banknote and performs discrimination with higher accuracy. The optical line sensor device acquires image information of the entire surface of the banknote or securities and makes the image information the object of discrimination, whereas the optical spot sensor device acquires information on the fixed part of the banknote or securities. It is a device for simple identification.

  The optical line sensor device includes a reduction optical line sensor device that combines a reduction lens, a mirror, and a CCD, and a contact optical line sensor device that uses an equal magnification optical system such as a SELFOC lens (SELFOC is a trade name). There is. The reduction optical system has the advantages that the system unit price is low, the resolution can be easily adjusted, and the depth of focus is deep, but there are disadvantages that the volume of the sensor is increased and there are many troubles due to dust and foreign matter. Therefore, a contact type optical line sensor device that is easy to maintain has been widely used recently.

On the other hand, for the purpose of preventing counterfeiting, valuable paper has recently been filled with a predetermined portion of valuable paper such as ink, fibers, and threads that emit fluorescence when irradiated with ultraviolet light, and can be used as a mark for authenticity determination. .
Therefore, in an image processing apparatus that discriminates valuable paper, such as an ATM or a banknote processing machine, it is desired to install a fluorescence detection apparatus using ultraviolet light as a light source in an optical sensor device used in the image processing apparatus. It is coming.

  In this fluorescence detection device, an LED or the like that emits ultraviolet light is used for a light source unit, and the LED is stored in a storage container that includes a translucent cover and a resin or metal case. The fluorescence detection device irradiates the valuable paper surface with ultraviolet light from the LED through the transparent cover while running the valuable paper surface on the transparent cover at a high speed, and the fluorescence (visible light and visible light) reflected from the valuable paper surface in the light receiving unit. (Including infrared light) is detected by a photodiode or the like. The valuable paper is identified based on the received light signal.

  As a light source of the fluorescence detection device, a cold cathode tube, a halogen and xenon lamp, an ultraviolet light LED, etc. can be used, but recently, an ultraviolet light LED having a small size, a small visible light component and an improved luminance is preferred. Yes. As a detection element constituting the light receiving section, a silicon photodiode, a CCD element, a sensor IC with a built-in detection element section, an amorphous silicon element, or the like is used.

  However, (1) even if ultraviolet light is applied to a portion of the valuable paper surface (hereinafter referred to as a mark) in which the fluorescent substance is incorporated, the fluorescent output reflected from the portion is weak, so that the valuable paper surface can be distinguished. The detection sensitivity may not be ensured. (2) The ultraviolet light source itself such as an ultraviolet LED may contain a weak visible light component. When such ultraviolet light is irradiated onto valuable paper, the reflected visible light component is a mark. There is a case where the fluorescence detection sensitivity of the mark is lowered due to the mixture with the fluorescence. (3) In some cases, the paper base material itself, rather than the mark on the valuable paper surface, emits fluorescence when irradiated with ultraviolet light, which lowers the fluorescence contrast of the mark and impairs the fluorescence detection ability of the mark.

  Therefore, as described in the following Patent Document 1 filed by the present applicant, a visible light cut filter for blocking the visible light component of the ultraviolet LED is mounted between the ultraviolet light source and the valuable paper surface, and further the ultraviolet light is applied. There is known a configuration in which an ultraviolet light cut filter for blocking an ultraviolet light component is mounted between a valuable paper surface irradiated with light and a light receiving portion for a fluorescence signal. With the configuration using this cut filter, more accurate fluorescence detection can be performed, and a precise authenticity judgment function for valuable paper can be secured.

JP 2012-190253 JP

The inventor of the present application further studied the fluorescence detection apparatus for valuable paper with higher accuracy than before by using various ultraviolet light sources. The inventors have found a configuration that enables fluorescence detection with higher accuracy and have reached the present invention.
The present invention relates to a fluorescence detection device, an optical sensor device, and a valuable paper surface discrimination method using ultraviolet light, and enables fluorescence detection with high accuracy on a valuable paper surface while using a simpler structure as compared with the prior art. For the purpose.

  The present invention uses an ultraviolet LED light source having an emission peak wavelength of 250 to 350 nm, preferably 300 to 350 nm, in the light emitting part, and uses a photodiode having extremely low detection sensitivity for wavelengths shorter than 350 nm as the light receiving part. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fluorescence detection apparatus that can detect fluorescence on valuable paper with higher accuracy without using a visible light cut filter and an ultraviolet light cut filter.

  An ultraviolet LED suitable for the present invention is an LED having a central wavelength of 250 nm to 350 nm, a strong emission intensity, and a wavelength longer than this wavelength, particularly including as little visible light as possible. Conventionally, gallium nitride-based UV LEDs in the 360-380 nm wavelength range have practical performance and price, and have already begun to be used for securities identification applications. In the present invention, such an ultraviolet LED having a shorter wavelength is employed.

  When an LED with an emission peak wavelength longer than 350 nm is used, the fluorescence from the paper substrate itself on the valuable paper surface is relatively stronger than the fluorescence at the mark site where the fluorescent material is incorporated, and the contrast of the fluorescence detection of the mark Becomes weaker and it becomes difficult to detect fluorescence with high accuracy. In addition, the light emitted from such an ultraviolet LED may be weakly mixed with visible light, which also hinders the fluorescence detection sensitivity of the mark.

For example, in the case of an ultraviolet LED having a light emission peak wavelength of around 370 nm that has been used conventionally, the peak wavelength is close to the visible light region, so the tail portion of the light emission may extend to the visible light region and include a visible light component. . Therefore, in order to eliminate this influence, it is necessary to increase the fluorescence sensitivity by attaching a visible light cut filter to the LED light emitting part.
FIG. 4 shows the measurement results of the spectral intensities of the ultraviolet LEDs having peak wavelengths of 365 nm and 310 nm used in the examples and comparative examples. As shown in this figure, when an LED having an emission peak wavelength shorter than 350 nm is used, the tail portion is separated from the visible light region, so that the visible light component contained in the ultraviolet light is remarkably reduced. For this reason, the contrast of the fluorescence generated from the valuable paper surface is relatively stronger than the visible light contained in the ultraviolet light reflected from the valuable paper surface. A clear fluorescence signal can be obtained.

  On the other hand, if an LED having an emission peak wavelength shorter than 250 nm is used, the emission intensity becomes weaker as the wavelength becomes shorter, so that fluorescence with sufficient intensity cannot be obtained from valuable paper, or as a translucent cover combined with a fluorescence detection device, It may be necessary to use special and expensive glass such as quartz glass in order to transmit ultraviolet light having a short wavelength. Therefore, in the present invention, an LED having an emission peak wavelength longer than 250 nm is used.

Thus, in order to achieve the object of the present invention, it is necessary to select an LED having a balance between a required peak wavelength and emission intensity. In the present invention, an ultraviolet light LED having an emission peak wavelength of 250 to 350 nm is used.
In this case, as a translucent cover, general-purpose soda lime glass (common name: blue plate glass) widely used for architectural purposes is not preferable because iron contained in a small amount inhibits the transmission of the ultraviolet light. It can be appropriately selected from highly transparent glass from which iron is removed (common name: white plate glass), alkali-free glass for liquid crystal display elements, borosilicate glass, and quartz glass.

  FIG. 6 is a graph showing the wavelength transmittances of blue plate glass, white plate glass, borosilicate glass, and quartz glass having a predetermined thickness. In this, the wavelength of the transmission edge on the short wavelength side of blue plate glass is the longest, and the wavelength of the transmission edge on the short wavelength side of white plate glass or borosilicate glass is shorter than that. It can be seen that white plate glass or borosilicate glass can be used in the fluorescence detection device of the present invention because it transmits ultraviolet light up to a wavelength of about 300 nm. Quartz glass has a shorter wavelength at the transmission end on the short wavelength side and is transparent to a wide range of ultraviolet light.

When selecting glass that transmits ultraviolet light using general-purpose glass instead of expensive quartz glass as the light-transmitting cover, select an ultraviolet LED that has an emission peak of 300 to 350 nm in consideration of the transparency of these glasses. It is particularly preferable to do this.
On the other hand, the light receiving unit for detecting fluorescence used in the present invention is required to have a characteristic that the short wavelength sensitivity edge is longer than 350 nm. Due to this characteristic, the fluorescence emitted by ultraviolet light reflected by valuable paper and ultraviolet light is emitted. Among them, only fluorescence can be selectively detected.

In addition, this detection characteristic eliminates the need to install an ultraviolet light cut filter that blocks ultraviolet light between the medium and the light receiving portion as in the prior art, and can realize a light receiving portion that is advantageous in terms of structure and cost. .
In order to achieve the object of the present invention, a silicon photodiode having a short wavelength detection end longer than 350 nm is particularly suitable as a light receiving element used in the light receiving section. “Short wavelength sensitivity edge is longer than 350 nm” means that the sensitivity to light having a wavelength of 350 nm or less is 5% or less, preferably 3% or less with respect to the highest sensitivity which is generally between 600 and 1000 nm. It means that.

Such a light receiving unit has poor sensitivity to the ultraviolet light emitted from the LED used in the present invention, so even if there is no ultraviolet light filter for blocking the ultraviolet light conventionally used, only the fluorescence on the valuable paper surface. Can be detected with high accuracy.
The wavelength sensitivity of the silicon photodiode is determined by adjusting the depth of a diffusion layer having a photoelectric effect formed by thermal diffusion or ion implantation, or the transmittance of a protective film. The short wavelength sensitivity edge of a general-purpose silicon photodiode is usually in the vicinity of 340 to 370 nm, and the silicon photodiode used in the present invention is stably obtained within the range of the conventional manufacturing method without adding a special process. be able to.

Although it is highly sensitive to fluorescence in the visible light and infrared light regions, it is a feature of the light receiving unit in the fluorescence detection device of the present invention that it is low sensitivity to ultraviolet light of 350 nm or less. Various techniques that complement the features to a higher degree do not exclude the present invention.
For example, when the fluorescence on the valuable paper surface is very weak and it is necessary to make the contrast particularly stand out, a small amount of UV light is added to the LED light source unit by adding a conventional visible light cut filter. Even within the scope of the present invention, it is possible to thoroughly remove even visible light, and (or) thoroughly remove a small amount of ultraviolet light of 350 nm or more entering the light receiving section by adding an ultraviolet light cut filter. It is.

  Furthermore, as a protective film for silicon photodiodes, a silicon nitride film that has a filter characteristic against ultraviolet light is used, and as a transparent protective resin used to ensure reliability, it has a transmittance for light below 350 nm. It is also possible to obtain a desired high sensitivity characteristic by complementing the detection characteristic of the silicon photodiode without separately providing an ultraviolet light cut filter as in the prior art by selecting a silicone resin that decreases.

As an equal-magnification lens combined with the fluorescence detection device of the present invention, a glass equal-magnification lens with poor transparency to ultraviolet light having a wavelength shorter than 350 nm (for example, SELFOC lens manufactured by Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd., SELFOC is a trade name) Is particularly suitable because it can complement the fluorescence detection characteristics of the fluorescence detection device of the present invention.
Although it is possible to use the fluorescence detection device of the present invention alone for authenticity determination of valuable paper, the fluorescence detection device of the present invention is usually used as a component of the optical sensor device in many cases. . For example, in the optical line sensor device, the valuable paper surface is irradiated with ultraviolet light from an ultraviolet LED light source arranged in a straight line, and the fluorescence reflected from the mark of the fluorescent material embedded in the valuable paper surface passes through the equal magnification lens. Light is received and detected by light receiving units arranged in a straight line.

In the optical spot sensor device, ultraviolet light from an ultraviolet LED light source is irradiated in a spot shape on the valuable paper surface, and the fluorescence reflected from the mark of the fluorescent material embedded in the valuable paper surface is received by the light receiving portion through the lens. To detect. By this method, it is possible to easily distinguish cheap and simple valuable paper.
Then, an image processing apparatus using such an optical sensor device processes the detection signal to determine the authenticity of the valuable paper surface.

  According to the present invention, (1) the shorter the wavelength of the ultraviolet light, the stronger the fluorescence emitted from the mark of the fluorescent substance embedded in the valuable paper than the fluorescence emitted from the underlying paper substrate, The fluorescence contrast between the mark and the substrate is increased. On the other hand, the shorter the wavelength of the ultraviolet light, the lower the luminous efficiency and luminous intensity of the LED light source. Therefore, by using an LED with an emission peak wavelength of 250 to 350 nm, the amount of fluorescent material on the valuable paper increases, the contrast to the fluorescence emitted from the substrate itself increases, and the mark fluorescence is detected efficiently. And the discrimination function is improved.

(2) By using a photodiode with extremely low sensitivity to ultraviolet light with a wavelength shorter than 350 nm as the light receiving part, the ultraviolet light from the LED light source reflected from the valuable paper surface is blocked by an ultraviolet light cut filter as in the past. Even without this, it becomes possible to efficiently detect only visible and infrared fluorescence of valuable paper.
(3) Compared with the conventional ultraviolet LED light source having a peak wavelength of around 370 nm, there is a little visible light contained in the ultraviolet light of the LED light source having an emission peak wavelength of 250 to 350 nm. It is not necessary to add a visible light cut filter to the part.

(4) By using an ultraviolet light source having an emission peak wavelength of 300 to 350 nm, an inexpensive cover glass can be employed as a light-transmitting cover that is one of the constituent materials of the optical sensor device.
(5) When the fluorescence on the valuable paper surface is very weak, a conventional visible light cut filter is added to the LED light source section to thoroughly remove even a small amount of visible light contained in the ultraviolet light. (Or) Add a UV light cut filter to thoroughly remove a small amount of UV light of 350nm or more that enters the light-receiving section, thereby increasing the contrast of the fluorescence signal and further increasing the fluorescence detection accuracy on valuable paper. It is also possible.

  The above-described or further advantages, features, and effects of the present invention will be made clear by the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It is sectional drawing which shows the optical line sensor apparatus which detects the image of medium S, such as securities and a banknote. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the ultraviolet LED light source 22 containing the mounting substrate 20 and the several light emitting element T installed in the upper surface. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an optical spot sensor device that detects optical characteristics of a medium S. FIG. It is a graph which shows the emission spectrum intensity | strength of the light emitting element of the ultraviolet LED light source used in the Example. It is a graph which shows the sensitivity spectrum of the silicon photodiode used in the Example. It is the graph which investigated the wavelength transmittance of the blue plate glass of the predetermined thickness, white plate glass, silica glass, and quartz glass.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the fluorescence detection device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an optical line sensor device that detects an image of securities, bills, and the like (hereinafter referred to as “medium S”). The optical line sensor device has a detection unit 12 disposed opposite to a banknote transport path 11 for transporting the medium S linearly in the x direction. The banknote conveyance path 11 conveys the medium S straightly in a posture along the conveyance direction x.

  The detection unit 12 has a dimension in the length direction (y direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1) compared to a dimension in the thickness direction (z direction in FIG. 1) and a dimension in the width direction (x direction in FIG. 1). It is quite long and has an elongated shape. The detection unit 12 includes an elongated box-shaped casing 16 provided with an opening in the upward direction, an elongated plate-shaped translucent cover 17 attached to the casing 16 so as to close the opening, and a casing. The unit body is housed in the body 16.

  The material of the housing 16 is preferably a substance such as a metal or a resin that is durable against ultraviolet light irradiation and does not emit fluorescence even when irradiated with ultraviolet light. For example, if it is a metal, it is iron, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass or the like. If it is a metal itself, it does not emit fluorescence, but it may fluoresce depending on the rust preventive material coated on the surface, and it is desirable to actually use ultraviolet light to confirm the presence or absence of fluorescence. If a resin is used, general-purpose resins such as polycarbonate, polyacetal, nylon, ABS, saturated and unsaturated polyester can be employed. Similarly, the resin may emit fluorescence from added fillers, stabilizers, pigments, UV absorbers, etc., and it is preferable to adopt after confirming the presence or absence of fluorescence.

  The translucent cover 17 is formed of a transparent material such as glass that transmits ultraviolet light and visible light. The material and structure of the translucent cover 17 may be any material that transmits the wavelength of the ultraviolet LED to be used, and are not limited. For example, highly transparent white plate glass from which iron is removed, non-alkali glass for liquid crystal display elements. , Borosilicate glass, quartz glass, and the like.

  The detection unit 12 is divided into two upper and lower rooms U and V. In the upper room U, an ultraviolet LED light source 22 is accommodated at a position where the medium S is irradiated with ultraviolet light via the translucent cover 17. ing. In the lower room V, a light receiving unit 24 is installed at a position where the reflected light from the medium S enters. The light receiving unit 24 has its image detection direction (+ z direction) directed toward the translucent cover 17. A rod lens array 23 for forming an image of the medium S is installed across the two rooms U and V. The rod lens array 23 is a lens element that is arranged to face the light receiving unit 24 and forms a fluorescent image of the medium S on the photosensitive surface of the light receiving unit 24 as an upright image at an equal magnification.

The translucent cover 17, the rod lens array 23, the light receiving unit 24, and the ultraviolet LED light source 22 all have dimensions in the length direction (y direction) and thickness direction (z direction) according to the shape of the detection unit 12. It is considerably longer than the dimension in the width direction (x direction).
The light receiving unit 24 is a sensor IC chip in which a fluorescent image detection element and a driver unit are integrated, and this is mounted on a substrate. The driver section is a circuit section that creates and supplies a bias current for driving the detection element. In addition, an IC chip-shaped signal processing unit 33 is provided for reading and detecting the light detection signal of the detection element.

  The rod lens array 23 has a predetermined detection area of the image to be observed (the other focus of the rod lens array 23 when the light receiving unit 24 is set as one focus of the rod lens array 23) than the outer surface of the translucent cover 17. It is set outside the distance (this detection area is indicated by P in FIG. 1), and a straight line that goes out of this detection area P and passes through the central axis (optical axis) of the rod lens array 23 is parallel to the z-axis. 24 reaches the photosensitive surface.

With the above configuration, the light receiving unit 24 can form an erect image of an image existing in the detection area P set outside the translucent cover 17 via the rod lens array 23.
The wavelength sensitivity characteristic of the light receiving unit 24 used in the present invention needs to be as high as possible for a desired wavelength range and as low as possible for the ultraviolet light wavelength of the irradiated LED. . Specifically, the preferred wavelength sensitivity characteristic has sensitivity in the visible light and infrared light regions (400 nm to 1100 nm) and has no sensitivity on the short wavelength side with a wavelength of 350 nm or less. The steeper inclination of the wavelength sensitivity is more preferable. Specifically, the maximum sensitivity wavelength of the light receiving unit 24 exists between 600 and 1000 nm, and the sensitivity to light having a wavelength of 350 nm or less is preferably 5% or less of the maximum sensitivity. Is 3% or less.

  Silicon, germanium, gallium abrasive, indium phosphide single crystal, amorphous silicon, and the like used in ordinary optical sensors can be used as the material of the photodiode used for the detection element of the light receiving unit 24. Of these, visible light can be used. A silicon photodiode is particularly preferable because it can easily adjust the sensitivity to a short wavelength shorter than 350 nm to a desired level while having high sensitivity to infrared light.

In addition, PN photodiodes, PIN photodiodes, Schottky barrier photodiodes, and avalanche photodiodes are known as photodiode structures. However, in any structure, the photosensitivity of a short wavelength of 350 nm or less is sufficiently low. Can be used.
It is known that ordinary silicon photodiodes have sensitivity in a wide wavelength range from 190 nm to 1100 nm (from ultraviolet light to infrared light), and the wavelength sensitivity can be adjusted by devising the device structure of each. It has been.

For example, in the case of a PN photodiode, the wavelength sensitivity in the short wavelength region can be adjusted by increasing the thickness of the depletion layer without photoelectron carriers and confining the carriers generated by absorbing short wavelength light in the P layer. it can. In a PIN photodiode, the sensitivity of an arbitrary short wavelength can be adjusted by increasing the thickness of the I layer or controlling the bias voltage.
Furthermore, a material having a light-shielding property at a desired short wavelength, such as silicon nitride or titanium oxide, is used instead of silicon oxide that is usually used as a material for a protective film (not shown) used on the surface of the photodiode. By adopting it, it is possible to obtain a detection element having a short wavelength sensitivity shorter than 350 nm required for the present invention.

Of course, these detection elements can also be applied to photodiode arrays and CCD elements provided in the sensor IC chip.
In the upper room U in the unit main body, an elongated ultraviolet LED light source 22 capable of irradiating ultraviolet light obliquely toward the detection area P is provided. The ultraviolet LED light source 22 is attached to the housing 16 in a state parallel to the light receiving unit 24, the rod lens array 23, and the like along the length (y) direction of the unit body.

As schematically shown in FIG. 2, the ultraviolet LED light source 22 includes a plurality of light emitting elements T that irradiate the mounting substrate 20 with ultraviolet light at predetermined intervals.
The ultraviolet light emitted from the light emitting element T has a larger fluorescence output as the wavelength is shorter and the emission intensity is stronger. The light emitting element T is preferably an LED element capable of emitting ultraviolet light having an ultraviolet light peak wavelength of 250 nm or more and 350 nm or less, and has predetermined electrode terminals, which are wires such as wire bonding (see FIG. 2). ) To the substrate 20.

As a light emitting element T having a peak wavelength of 250 nm or more and 350 nm or less, an LED element having a peak wavelength in the range of 250 to 350 nm using a nitride such as aluminum, gallium, or indium as a light emitting semiconductor, or an ultraviolet using diamond as a light emitting semiconductor. Optical LED elements have been announced and can be used.
However, the ultraviolet LED element used in the present invention does not include not only the above-described ultraviolet light peak wavelength but also the visible light and infrared components, or the mixing ratio of the visible light and infrared components is as small as possible. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the spectral intensity in advance and select an ultraviolet LED element that satisfies these characteristics.

The fluorescence detection device of the present invention is not limited to the optical line sensor device shown in FIG. It can also be applied to an optical spot sensor device. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the optical spot sensor device, and the same members as those appearing in FIG. 12 are given the same reference numerals.
The difference between the optical spot sensor device and the optical line sensor device is that the detection area P is not a line but a spot. For this reason, the detection unit 13 of the optical spot sensor device and the components constituting the detection unit 13 are not necessarily limited in the length direction (y direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1) but in the thickness direction (z direction in FIG. 1). In addition, the shape is not long compared to the dimension in the width direction (x direction in FIG. 1).

  Also in this optical spot sensor device, as shown in FIG. 3, the ultraviolet light emitted from the light emitting element of the ultraviolet LED light source 22 passes through the translucent cover 17 and is irradiated onto the medium S. The medium S emits fluorescence based on the excitation by the irradiation light, and the fluorescence is detected by the light receiving unit 24. In FIG. 3, the imaging element corresponding to the rod lens array 23 of FIG. 1 is installed in the light receiving unit 24, and thus is not shown in the drawing.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples and comparative examples.
An ultraviolet LED light source, a long glass Selfoc lens (Selfoc is a trade name), and a silicon photodiode element with a built-in IC were prepared.
The ultraviolet LED light source has 16 light emitting elements arranged in a straight line on a printed board having a length of about 200 mm. Silicon photodiodes were also arranged in a straight line on a printed circuit board having a length of about 200 mm.

Since the fluorescence intensity of the printed phosphor is different for each banknote, one 20 euro banknote was fixed and used as a reference medium. The surface of the medium was irradiated with ultraviolet light from an ultraviolet LED, and this fluorescent light was imaged on a light receiving portion made of a silicon photodiode via a glass Selfoc lens.
In the example, the fluorescence intensity of the flag part, the star part, and the base part without the printed image of the Euro bill was measured and compared with the measurement result of the conventional configuration.

As is well known, the flag part of a 20 euro bill is blue under visible light, but when the ultraviolet light is applied, the whole flag turns green and the star in the center of the flag turns orange. Moreover, the base | substrate part on which the banknote base material is not printed emits blue fluorescence, when ultraviolet light is irradiated.
The light emitting elements of the ultraviolet LED light source were prepared with emission peaks of 365 nm and 310 nm. FIG. 4 is a graph showing emission spectrum intensities (logarithmic scale) of two light emitting elements measured in a wavelength range of 250 to 700 nm. The value of the current passed through the ultraviolet LED was 20 mA. From this graph, it can be seen that the 310 nm light emitting element has significantly less visible light component than the 365 nm light emitting element.

Since the two types of light emitting elements have different fluorescence intensities, the absolute values of the fluorescence signal outputs indicating the fluorescence intensities cannot be compared. Therefore, the fluorescence intensity ratio R1 representing the ratio of the fluorescence signal output between the green fluorescence of the flag part and the blue fluorescence of the background, and the ratio of the fluorescence signal output of the orange fluorescence of the star mark in the center of the flag and the green fluorescence of the flag part. The fluorescence intensity ratio R2 represented was used as the evaluation value.
In the actual authenticity determination of valuable paper, if there is a fluorescence intensity necessary for recognizing the fluorescence image, the fluorescence intensity ratio R1 or R2 indicating whether the feature of the mark can be detected with higher accuracy than the fluorescence intensity itself, etc. Is more important.

As an option, a visible light cut filter to be mounted on the ultraviolet LED light source was prepared. This visible light cut filter has a characteristic of cutting light having a wavelength longer than 400 nm.
As shown in FIG. 5, a silicon photodiode having a sensitivity from 350 nm to 1100 nm was used for both the example and the comparative example, and the charge accumulation time was set to 3.65 ms.

A so-called blue plate glass and borosilicate glass were prepared as a translucent cover for covering the ultraviolet LED.
Also, as an option, an ultraviolet light cut filter to be attached to a silicon photodiode or a Selfoc lens was prepared. This ultraviolet light cut filter has a characteristic of cutting light having a wavelength shorter than 410 nm.

  In order to evaluate the fluorescence detection performance, the fluorescence intensity ratio R1 of the green fluorescence of the flag part and the blue fluorescence of the background, and the fluorescence intensity ratio R2 of the star-colored barn fluorescence at the center of the flag and the green fluorescence of the flag part were measured. .

As shown in Table 1, Comparative Example 2 has a configuration close to a conventional fluorescence detection device using a 365-nm ultraviolet LED and further combining a visible light cut filter and an ultraviolet light cut filter. The fluorescence intensity ratio R1 = 1.25 between the flag part and the background, and the fluorescence intensity ratio R2 = 1.32 between the star mark and the flag part.
Example 4 using a 310 nm ultraviolet LED and using the fluorescence detection apparatus of the present invention that does not use these optical filters has a flag-to-underground fluorescence intensity ratio R1 = 2.55. The fluorescence intensity ratio R2 = 4.81.

In Example 4, both R1 and R2 are much larger than Comparative Example 2, and the fluorescence detection device of the present invention is much larger than the conventional device without using a visible light cut filter or an ultraviolet light cut filter. This shows that the contrast of the fluorescent image is obtained, and the feature of the fluorescent image can be detected with high accuracy.
In addition, as shown in Example 3, when an ultraviolet light cut filter is added to Example 4 to thoroughly remove ultraviolet light of 410 nm or less, the fluorescence intensity ratio R1 becomes large, and the characteristics of the fluorescence image are more highly accurate. Can be detected.

In Example 2, the silicate glass was removed from Example 4. From these comparisons, it can be seen that even when borosilicate glass is used as the translucent cover, the decrease in the fluorescence signal output is slight, and R1 and R2 do not change much.
Example 1 has a configuration in which a visible light cut filter and an ultraviolet light cut filter are attached to Example 2. The visible light cut filter thoroughly removes a small amount of visible light and infrared light of 400 nm or more contained in the ultraviolet light, and the ultraviolet light cut filter thoroughly removes ultraviolet light of 410 nm or less contained in the reflected light of the banknote. , R2 is even larger. That is, by adding these filters, the feature of the fluorescence image can be detected with higher accuracy.

Comparative Example 3 uses an ultraviolet LED having a wavelength of 310 nm as compared with Comparative Example 2. However, since blue glass that absorbs ultraviolet light is used, R1 is rather lowered and smaller than 1, and the flag portion is buried in the base portion of the banknote, making it difficult to identify.
Comparative Example 1 has a configuration in which the visible light cut filter is removed from Comparative Example 2, but both R1 and R2 are reduced. In particular, R1 is smaller than 1, and the flag part is buried in the base part of the banknote for identification. It is difficult to do. Therefore, in the conventional apparatus, both the visible light cut filter and the ultraviolet light cut filter are necessary to identify the fluorescent image of the mark.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12, 13 Detection unit 17 Translucent cover 22 Ultraviolet LED light source 24 Light-receiving part 33 Signal processing part T Light-emitting element S Media, such as securities and banknotes

Claims (7)

In the fluorescence detection device that irradiates the medium with ultraviolet light and detects the fluorescence of the fluorescent substance embedded in the medium,
An ultraviolet LED light source that irradiates ultraviolet light; and a light receiving unit that receives reflected light including fluorescence, which is irradiated from the ultraviolet LED light source and reflected from the medium, and is irradiated from the ultraviolet LED light source. Fluorescence detection, characterized in that the peak wavelength of ultraviolet light is 250 nm or more and 350 nm or less, the light receiving part has sensitivity at least in the visible light range, and the short wavelength detection sensitivity edge is longer than 350 nm apparatus.   The fluorescence detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a peak wavelength of ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet LED light source is 300 nm or more and 350 nm or less.   The detection element used in the light receiving portion is a silicon photodiode, and its maximum sensitivity wavelength is between 600 and 1000 nm, and the sensitivity to light having a wavelength of 350 nm or less is 5% or less, preferably 3% of the maximum sensitivity. The fluorescence detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:   2. The fluorescence detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a borosilicate glass that transmits ultraviolet light having a wavelength shorter than 350 nm is disposed as a translucent cover between the medium and the ultraviolet LED light source.   5. An optical line sensor device including the fluorescence detection device according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet LED light source is irradiated onto the valuable paper surface and embedded in the valuable paper surface. An optical line sensor device, wherein the light reflected from the fluorescent material is detected by the light receiving section through an equal-magnification lens.   5. An optical spot sensor device including the fluorescence detection device according to claim 1, wherein ultraviolet light is irradiated on the valuable paper surface from the ultraviolet LED light source and embedded in the valuable paper surface. An optical spot sensor device characterized in that spot-like fluorescence reflected from a fluorescent material is detected by the light receiving unit.   Using the apparatus of claim 5 or 6, the valuable paper surface is irradiated with ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet LED light source of the fluorescence detection device, and the fluorescence reflected from the fluorescent material embedded in the valuable paper surface is converted into the fluorescence. A method for identifying valuable paper, which is detected by a light receiving unit of a detection device, and the authenticity of the valuable paper is determined based on the detection signal.

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