An apparatus and method for carrying out analysis of samples using semi-reflective beam radiation inspection in association with an optical disk and an optical reader has an optically transparent substrate having a semi-reflective layer which reflects a portion of the beam of light to form a reflected beam and transmits a portion of the beam of light to form a transmitted beam. The semi-reflective layer includes optically readable encoded information to be read by the reader for controlling the scanning of the reader relative the disk, the encoded information providing modulation of the reflected beam. The disk includes a sample support surface positioned to be scanned by the reader on which the biological, chemical or biochemical sample may be located for optical inspection with the transmitted beam.