Patent ID: 7495768
Filing Date: 2009-02-24
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. An analysis method, comprising the steps of: i) preparing a well-shaped analysis chip, which is provided with a dielectric material block transparent with respect to a light beam having been produced by a light source, a thin film layer formed on one surface of the dielectric material block, and a sample support section capable of supporting a sample on a surface of the thin film layer, the thin film layer being provided with two different regions, which have different characteristics, on the surface of the thin film layer, ii) releasably loading a flow path unit into the well-shaped analysis chip, the flow path unit being provided with a supply path, through which the sample is supplied onto the surface of the thin film layer, and a discharging path, through which the sample is discharged from the surface of the thin film layer, iii) irradiating the light beam, which has been produced by the light source, to each of a first interface, which is an interface between one of the two different regions of the thin film layer and the dielectric material block, and a second interface, which is an interface between the other region of the thin film layer and the dielectric material block, substantially simultaneously in a parallel manner and at an incidence angle such that a total reflection condition is obtained at each of the first interface and the second interface, iv) detecting each of an intensity of the light beam, which has been totally reflected from the first interface, and an intensity of the light beam, which has been totally reflected from the second interface, with independent detecting operations, v) acquiring refractive index information with regard to a substance to be analyzed, which is located on the thin film layer, in accordance with results of the detection of the light beam intensities, and vi) performing at least one of storing the acquired refractive index information in a memory, displaying the acquired refractive index information on a display, outputting the acquired refractive index information to a printing device and transmitting the acquired refractive index information to a processor.