Total reflection illuminated sensor chip, method for producing the total reflection illuminated sensor chip, and sensing method using the total reflection illuminated sensor chip

A sensing method for detecting a detection target substance, comprising the steps of:

• supplying a liquid sample that includes the detection target substance onto a metal film formed on a surface of a dielectric prism, which is formed by a synthetic resin material;
• irradiating a measuring light beam onto the interface between the dielectric prism and the metal film such that conditions for total reflection are satisfied at the interface;
• and
• utilizing evanescent waves which are generated due to the irradiation of the measuring light beam to detect the detection target substance;
• wherein polishing streaks in the region of a metal film formation surface of the dielectric prism, on which the metal film is formed, having directional properties with respect to a single direction;
• and
• wherein the measuring light beam is irradiated onto the interface such that projection vectors that represent components of the measuring light beam, which are projected onto the metal film formation surface, are substantially parallel to directional vectors that represent the directional properties of the polishing streaks:
• and
• wherein projection vectors that represent components of the measuring light beam, which are projected onto the metal film formation surface, are substantially parallel to directional vectors that represent the directional properties of the polishing streaks.