Apparatus/method for optical measuring a physical amount of a specific

Abstract

The optical measuring apparatus of this invention for measuring a physical amount of a specific component contained in a substance to be measured by the use of measurement light which passes through the substance to be measured and the use of predetermined reference light includes: a first interfering polarizing plate for obtaining a first light interference signal by interfering the measurement light; a second interfering polarizing plate for obtaining a second light interference signal by interfering the reference light; a first photoelectric converting section for converting the first light interference signal into a first electric signal; a second photoelectric converting section for converting the second light interference signal into a second electric signal; a first phase expanding section for expanding a phase of the first electric signal; a second phase expanding section for expanding a phase of the second electric signal; a phase difference measuring section for measuring a phase difference between a phase expanded by the first phase expanding section and a phase expanded by the second phase expanding section; and a physical amount determining section for determining the physical amount of the specific component contained in the substance to be measured depending on the phase difference measured by the phase difference measuring section.