Sample information acquisition apparatus

A sample information acquisition apparatus comprising:

• a light source;
• an irradiation member optically connected to the light source configured to irradiate a sample with light;
• a probe including a plurality of transducers that transmit and receive ultrasonic waves to the sample;
• an image generation unit configured to at least generate a photoacoustic image on the basis of a photoacoustic signal of the ultrasonic waves received by the probe for the light radiated from the irradiation member to the sample;
• a determination unit configured to determine a state of acoustic contact between the probe and the sample and whether the sample is on an optical path on the basis of an ultrasonic echo signal of the ultrasonic waves received by the probe for the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the probe, prior to the generation of the photoacoustic image;
• and
• a control unit configured to cause the irradiation member to irradiate the sample with the light on the basis of a result of the determination in the determination unit,
• wherein the determination unit determines the state of acoustic contact between the probe and the sample on the basis of information about a plurality of ultrasonic echo signals received by a plurality of transducers that are set apart from each other, among the plurality of ultrasonic echo signals received by the plurality of transducers in response to the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the plurality of transducers in the probe.