| CPC G01N 21/41 (2013.01) [A61B 5/1455 (2013.01)] | 12 Claims |
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1. A biological component measurement apparatus for measuring a component using heat generation of a biological sample absorbing excitation light, the biological component measurement apparatus comprising:
an optical medium including a biological sample placement surface on which the biological sample is placeable, the optical medium being transparent to the excitation light and being formed from chalcogenide glass that has a lower thermal conductivity than zinc sulfide, and a refractive index of the optical medium being changed by the heat generation of the biological sample absorbing the excitation light;
an excitation light source to emit, toward the biological sample placement surface, the excitation light that travels through the optical medium;
a probe light source to emit probe light that travels through the optical medium;
a light position detector to detect a position of the probe light outgoing from the optical medium; and
a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the optical medium, wherein
the optical medium is also transparent to the probe light,
the light position detector detects a first position of the probe light outgoing from the optical medium under a first condition where the excitation light source does not emit the excitation light,
the light position detector detects a second position of the probe light outgoing from the optical medium in which a refractive index gradient region is generated by the heat generation caused by the excitation light under a second condition where the excitation light source emits the excitation light,
the component is measured based on the first position and the second position,
the temperature sensor is attached to a portion of the biological sample placement surface, the portion being away from the biological sample, the excitation light, and the probe light, and
with the biological sample on the biological sample placement surface, the biological component measurement apparatus is operative to
prevent the measuring of the component under a first condition where a fluctuation range of temperature of the optical medium per unit time as measured by the temperature sensor is outside of a predetermined allowable temperature fluctuation range, and
allow the measuring of the component under a second condition where the fluctuation range of temperature of the optical medium per unit time as measured by the temperature sensor is within the predetermined allowable temperature fluctuation range.
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