Disclosed herein is a measuring apparatus equipped with a plurality of
measuring units. Each measuring unit includes a dielectric block, a thin film layer
formed on the dielectric block, and a sample holding mechanism for holding a sample
on the thin film layer. The measuring apparatus is further equipped with an optical
system for making a light beam enter the dielectric block at an angle of incidence
so that a total internal reflection condition is satisfied at an interface between
the dielectric block and the thin film layer, and photodetectors for measuring
the intensity of the light beam totally reflected at the interface. The optical
system is constructed so that light beams simultaneously enter the dielectric blocks
of the measuring units. The number of photodetectors corresponds to the number
of the light beams.