Biological component measurement apparatus

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.