OPTICAL SENSOR AND IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical sensor capable of more minutely identifying an object than before without inviting cost increase or size increase.SOLUTION: An optical sensor includes: a light source 11; a collimator lens 12; an optical receiver 13; a polarization filter 14; an optical receiver 15; and a dark box for accommodating these. The optical receiver 13 receives a P polarization component included in internal diffusion reflection light. The optical receiver 15 is arranged so as to mainly receive surface regular reflection light. The optical receiver 13 is arranged at a location closer to the center of illumination than the optical receiver 15 so that light volume received at the optical receiver 13 and light volume received at the optical receiver 15 are approximately equivalent volume. A reflectance reception angle &thetas;2 at the optical receiver 13 is set larger than a reflectance reception angle &thetas;1 at the optical receiver 15.