Multispectral imaging device and multispectral imaging method

1. A multispectral imaging device which captures a multispectral image of a subject, the multispectral imaging device comprising:

an illumination optical system which irradiates the subject with light; and

an imaging optical system which images the subject,

wherein the illumination optical system includes:

a lens which collects light from a light source; and

a filter group disposed in an overlap region of bundles of illumination rays which reach points in an imaging area of the subject, and including at least a first filter and a second filter having different transmission properties, the overlap region being a region through which the light collected by the lens passes,

light which has passed through the first filter and light which has passed through the second filter simultaneously illuminate the subject, and

the imaging optical system includes:

an image sensor which includes at least first light receiving elements and second light receiving elements; and

a separation optical lens element which simultaneously guides light which has passed through the first filter to the first light receiving elements, and light which has passed through the second filter to the second light receiving elements.

2. The multispectral imaging device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the illumination optical system is a Koehler illumination system which includes a field stop and an aperture stop, and

the filter group is disposed in vicinity of the aperture stop.

3. The multispectral imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first filter or the second filter is exchangeably attached to the illumination optical system.

4. The multispectral imaging device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the imaging optical system further includes an objective lens, and

the filter group is disposed at a position where the light which has passed through the first filter enters the first light receiving elements, and the light which has passed through the second filter enters the second light receiving elements, irrespective of a change of a numerical aperture of the objective lens.

5. The multispectral imaging device according to claim 4 , wherein the filter group is disposed at a position where a boundary between the first filter and the second filter intersects an optical axis of the illumination optical system.

6. A filter group for use in the multispectral imaging device according to claim 1 .

7. A multispectral imaging method for capturing a multispectral image of a subject using a multispectral imaging device which includes: an illumination optical system which irradiates the subject with light; and an imaging optical system which images the subject, the multispectral imaging method comprising:

(a) utilizing a lens to collect light from a light source;

(b) disposing a filter group which includes at least a first filter and a second filter having different transmission properties, in an overlap region of bundles of illumination rays in the illumination optical system, the overlay region being a region through which the light collected by the lens passes, the bundles of illumination rays reaching points in an imaging area of the subject, and light which has passed through the first filter and light which has passed through the second filter simultaneously illuminate the subject; and

(c) capturing the multispectral image of the subject,

wherein the imaging optical system includes:

an image sensor which includes at least first light receiving elements and second light receiving elements; and

a separation optical lens element which simultaneously guides light which has passed through the first filter to the first light receiving elements, and light which has passed through the second filter to the second light receiving elements.

8. The multispectral imaging method according to claim 7 ,

wherein the subject is stained using stains having absorption spectra, and

the filter group is disposed in the illumination optical system in step (b), the filter group including the first filter which transmits light having a first wavelength at which a first stain included in the stains shows a unique absorption spectrum, and the second filter which transmits light having a second wavelength at which a second stain included in the stains shows a unique absorption spectrum.

9. The multispectral imaging method according to claim 7 ,

wherein the subject has, on a surface, an oxide film having a reflection spectrum which differs depending on a thickness of the oxide film, and

the filter group is disposed in the illumination optical system in step (b), the filter group including the first filter which transmits light having a first wavelength at which the thickness and the reflection spectrum show first dependency, and the second filter which transmits light having a second wavelength at which the thickness and the reflection spectrum show second dependency.

10. The multispectral imaging method according to claim 7 ,

wherein the subject has a graphene layer on a surface, and

the filter group is disposed in the illumination optical system in step (b), the filter group including the first filter which transmits light having a first wavelength at which a reflection spectrum different from a reflection spectrum shown in an unwrinkled region of the graphene layer is shown in a wrinkled region of the graphene layer.