PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable biometric authentication to be permanently operational without a risk of forgery.SOLUTION: A biometric authentication device of the present invention comprises: an imaging element which is positioned opposite to a portion of a living body and photographs an image of a vein under skin of the portion of the living body a light source section which emits light in near-infrared band reaching behind the vein located under the skin of the portion of the living body positioned opposite to the imaging element, has an optical axis of the light in the near-infrared band disaccord with an axial line connecting the portion of the living body and the imaging element, and is arranged with a prescribed angle to the axial line and an authentication section which performs an authentication process for the living body on the basis of the image of the vein photographed by the imaging element using return light which is a portion of the light in the near-infrared band scattered behind the vein and returned back to the imaging element.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】偽造等の危険のない、恒久的な生体認証を可能とすること。【解決手段】本開示に係る生体認証装置は、生体の一部と対向し、前記生体の一部の皮下の静脈像を撮像する撮像素子と、前記撮像素子と対向する前記生体の一部の皮下に位置する静脈の後方に達する近赤外帯域の光を照射するものであり、前記近赤外帯域の光の光軸が、前記生体の一部と前記撮像素子とを結ぶ軸線と一致せず、かつ、前記軸線に対して所定の角度をなすように配置された光源部と、前記静脈の後方にて散乱された前記近赤外帯域の光のうち前記撮像素子に戻る戻り光を用いて前記撮像素子にて撮像された静脈像に基づいて、前記生体の認証処理を行う認証部と、を備える。【選択図】図3
