Image capture apparatus and biometric authentication apparatus

A biometric authentication apparatus comprising:

• an illumination section for irradiating at least near infrared light onto a biological portion placed in contact with a predetermined position of a housing surface;
• an imaging section for imaging at least a near infrared light image incoming from the biological portion placed in contact with the predetermined position of the housing surface, the imaging section being provided in the vicinity of the illumination section;
• a photographic subject placing section constituting a part of the housing surface and disposed in the vicinity of the illumination section, wherein at least a part of the light emanation portion of the illumination section on a side where the imaging section is disposed is covered by the photographic subject when the photographic subject is placed in contact with the predetermined position;
• and
• an authentication section for performing biometric authentication by making a comparison between a specific pattern extracted from the near infrared light image of the biological portion imaged by the imaging section and a preliminarily registered specific pattern,
• and wherein the imaging section provided in the vicinity of the illumination section is configured for the irradiating of the at least near infrared light onto the biological portion and the imaging of the near infrared light image along an optical axis that is external to the housing surface.