Patent ID: 7202954

Claim:
A target detection apparatus comprising: an optical irradiation unit which irradiates light, an optical interference unit comprising helical organic molecules each having a target capturing body bonded thereto, said helical organic molecules being aligned to form a film-like material, said film-like material having a refractive index, wherein said optical interference unit is capable of: interacting with a detection target, interfering with the light irradiated from the optical irradiation unit, radiating said light as interference light, and varying the wavelength of the interference light after interaction with the detection target, and a wavelength change detecting unit placed in the path of the interference light which detects the wavelength variation of the interference light radiated by the optical interference unit, wherein the optical interference unit further comprises a substrate, the film-like material being provided on the substrate, and the substrate comprising on a surface thereof an identical refractive index film having a refractive index that is substantially the same as the refractive index of the film-like material.