Imaging device and image generation method

1 . An imaging device comprising:

a stage configured to place a subject;

a detector including a plurality of linear pixels having linear light receiving surfaces extending in a first direction arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction with equal intervals;

an image formation optical member configured to form an image based on imaging light passing through the subject on a detection surface of the detector; and

an image processor configured to reconstruct the image of the subject based on detection intensity of the imaging light,

wherein the stage is scannable in a direction parallel to the first direction,

the detector is configured to set a sampling interval equal to or less than half a time to scan a distance of a line length of the linear pixel by the stage, and outputs the detection intensity at each sampling interval, and

the image processor is configured to: (i) determine that a detection intensity distribution indicating the detection intensity with respect to position coordinates of the stage is a convolution of an image intensity distribution on an extension line of the linear pixel and a window function; (ii) calculate the image intensity distribution for each linear pixel by deconvolution from the detection intensity distribution; and (iii) generate an image of the subject by disposing the image intensity distribution calculated in all the linear pixels in an arrangement direction of the linear pixels.

2 . The imaging device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the sampling interval is a value obtained by dividing a pixel pitch of the linear pixels arranged in the second direction by twice a scanning speed of the stage.

3 . The imaging device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a distance in which the stage is scanned is equal to or greater than 100 times a value obtained by multiplying the sampling interval by a speed at which the stage is scanned.

4 . The imaging device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the subject has a periodic structure at least in part, and a scanning start position and a scanning end position are set such that the periodic structure is continuous at the scanning start position and the scanning end position of the stage.

5 . The imaging device according to claim 4 ,

wherein the subject is a semiconductor storage device that is formed with a memory cell array.

6 . The imaging device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the image processor includes a simulator configured to: (i) simulate the detection intensity distribution outside a scanning range of the stage in the first direction; (ii) generate a synthesizing intensity distribution obtained by synthesizing a first simulated detection intensity distribution that is the detection intensity distribution on a negative side in the first direction rather than the scanning range generated by the simulator, a second simulated detection intensity distribution that is the detection intensity distribution on a positive side in the first direction rather than the scanning range generated by the simulator, and the detection intensity distribution detected by the one-dimensional detector; and (iii) calculate the image intensity distribution using the image intensity distribution.

7 . The imaging device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the window function presents a first state in a range of position coordinates of the stage corresponding to the length of the linear pixel and presents a second state in other ranges.

8 . An image generation method, comprising:

irradiating a subject placed on a stage with imaging light;

outputting detection intensity of imaging light passing through the subject at each sampling interval to be equal to or less than half a time that a distance of a line length of the linear pixel is scanned in the stage by a detector, wherein the detector includes a plurality of linear pixels having linear light receiving surfaces extending in a first direction arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction at equal intervals while scanning the subject at a predetermined speed in the first direction;

determining that a detection intensity distribution indicating the detection intensity with respect to position coordinates of the stage is a convolution of an image intensity distribution on an extension line of the linear pixel and a window function;

calculating the image intensity distribution for each linear pixel by deconvolution from the detection intensity distribution; and

generating an image of the subject by disposing the image intensity distribution calculated in all the linear pixels in an arrangement direction of the linear pixels.

9 . The image generation method according to claim 8 ,

wherein the window function presents a first state in a range of position coordinates of the stage corresponding to the length of the linear pixel and presents a second state in other ranges.

10 . The image generation method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

dividing a pixel pitch of the linear pixels arranged in the second direction by twice a scanning speed of the stage as the sampling interval.

11 . The image generation method according to claim 8 ,

wherein the subject has a periodic structure at least in part, and a scanning start position and a scanning end position are set such that the periodic structure is continuous at the scanning start position and the scanning end position of the stage.

12 . The image generation method according to claim 8 ,

wherein the subject is a semiconductor storage device that is formed with a memory cell array.