Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus includes: first and second laser diodes to emit first and second laser beams having first and second wavelengths for reading signals recorded in first and second optical discs, respectively; a first objective lens configured to condense the first laser beam onto the signal recording layer of the first optical disc; a second objective lens arranged, along with the first objective lens, in a radial direction of the first and the second optical discs, the second objective lens configured to condense the second laser beam onto the signal recording layer of the second optical disc; a first optical system configured to guide the first laser beam from the first laser diode to the first objective lens; and a second optical system configured to guide the second laser beam from the second laser diode to the second objective lens independently of the first optical system.

Abstract: In order to achieve further cost reduction while the package size of an optical pickup having two objective lenses and the restriction on the disposition of the two objective lenses are maintained, an optical system for laser light emitted from a red/infrared dual-wavelength laser diode is disposed such that a parallel plate beam splitter is disposed to be inclined with respect to the optical axis of focused light of the laser light reflected by an optical disk and the optical axis of the laser light between a rising mirror and the parallel plate beam splitter is inclined from the signal track direction of the optical disk. The laser light to which astigmatism is given by transmission through the parallel plate beam splitter is caused to be directly incident on a light detector without passing through an astigmatism adjustment optical element.

Abstract: An element holding device of the present invention includes: a guide portion engaging with a guide shaft; a lens fixing portion on which to fix a collimator lens; an arm portion; an insertion portion having a hole portion in which to insert a guide shaft; a wire fixing portion made by protruding a side surface of the insertion portion in a ?Y direction; and a wire fixed on the wire fixing portion. A bent portion being a leading end portion of the wire is housed in a slit. Thereby, excess deformation of a contact portion is suppressed.

Abstract: The aberration takes place according to the height of the image because the laser light tilts from the optical axis when it enters to the object lens in the optical pickup device which is equipped with a laser diode for BD and the monolithic laser diode capable of irradiating laser lights with two different wavelengths for DVD and CD as one package to read the signal by single object lens and single optical system. This is because the light sources of the three lights with different wavelengths are away from each other in the optical pickup device. The emission point of the laser diode for BD is formed at the location shifted from the center of the chip. The laser diode for BD is disposed adjacent to the monolithic laser diode capable of irradiating laser lights with two wavelengths for DVD and CD to make the emission point closer to the monolithic laser diode. The sizes of these two laser diodes is minimized by employing half dicing during the cleavage processing for separating the chips.

Abstract: Provided is an objective lens manufactured well by using a mold and an optical pickup apparatus including the same. The objective lens of the present invention includes a first region that focuses laser beams of a BD, DVD, and CD standards, a second region that focuses the laser beams of the DVD and CD standards, and a third region that focuses the laser beams of the BD and the DVD standards are provided in this order from a center portion of the objective lens. A first annular zone step provided in the first region has a step amount larger than step amounts of annular zone steps provided in other regions.

Abstract: This semiconductor laser apparatus includes a base, a plurality of electrodes arranged along a first direction on an upper surface of the base, a plurality of semiconductor laser devices bonded to respective upper surfaces of the plurality of electrodes, emitting laser beams in a second direction, and a photodetector having a photosensitive surface arranged in a region of the base in a third direction relative to the plurality of semiconductor laser devices. An electrode arranged in a position other than end portions in the first direction and a fourth direction, of the plurality of electrodes has an extraction wiring portion arranged on the photosensitive surface of the photodetector.

Abstract: This method for manufacturing a semiconductor laser apparatus includes steps of forming a first semiconductor laser device having a first electrode, forming a second semiconductor laser device having a second electrode, forming a first solder layer with a first melting point through a first barrier layer on a third electrode, forming a second solder layer with a second melting point through a second barrier layer on a fourth electrode, bonding the first electrode to the third electrode through a first reaction solder layer, a melting point of which rises to a third melting point higher than the second melting point by reacting the first electrode with the first solder layer, and bonding the second electrode to the fourth electrode by applying heat of a first heating temperature to melt the second solder layer with the second melting point after the step of bonding the first electrode to the third electrode.

Abstract: A holder has walls defining a holding region for holding an optical element, and has a protrusion part overlapping the holding region. The protrusion part is formed at a deformable support part, and can be displaced in a direction away from the holding region by deformation of the support part. When the optical element is fitted into the holding region, the support part deforms and the protrusion part runs on a side surface of the optical element. In this state, the optical element is pressed until a back surface of the optical element abuts a support surface of the holder. The optical element is pressed against the wall and positioned by a return force of the support part.

Abstract: Provided is an objective lens that allows securing of a long working distance for a laser beam with a long wavelength and has a predetermined thickness or larger, and an optical pickup apparatus including the objective lens. In an objective lens of the present invention, a first region that focuses laser beams of a BD, DVD, and CD standards, a second region that focuses the laser beams of the DVD and CD standards, and a third region that focuses the laser beams of the BD and the DVD standards are provided in this order from a center portion of the objective lens. An optical super resolution with the laser beam of the BD standard is achieved by preventing a portion of the laser beam of the BD standard transmitted through the second region from contributing to spot formation.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus includes: first and second laser diodes to emit first and second laser beams having first and second wavelengths for reading signals recorded in first and second optical discs, respectively; a first objective lens configured to condense the first laser beam onto the signal recording layer of the first optical disc; a second objective lens arranged, along with the first objective lens, in a radial direction of the first and the second optical discs, the second objective lens configured to condense the second laser beam onto the signal recording layer of the second optical disc; a first optical system configured to guide the first laser beam from the first laser diode to the first objective lens; and a second optical system configured to guide the second laser beam from the second laser diode to the second objective lens independently of the first optical system.

Abstract: An astigmatism element converges laser light in a first direction for generating a first focal line, and converges the laser light in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction for generating a second focal line. A light separating element guides the laser light entered into two first areas and into two second areas to four respective positions different from each other, and guides the laser light entered into a third area to a position different from the four positions. When an intersection of two straight lines extending in parallel to the first direction and the second direction and intersecting with each other is aligned with an optical axis of the laser light, the third area is disposed at the intersection of the two straight lines.

Abstract: In the present invention, to improve CD read/write characteristics having poor image height characteristics, a third light emitting source emitting a third laser beam for CD is disposed on an optical axis of an objective lens. Thereby, the third laser beam emitted from the third light emitting source travels along the optical axis of the objective lens, thus generating no coma aberration in the third laser beam. Furthermore, in the present invention, a second light emitting source emitting a second laser beam for DVD and a first light emitting source emitting a first laser beam for BD are disposed across the third light emitting source. Thereby the phase propagation directions of coma aberrations in the first and second laser beams coincide with each other. Adjustment of the coma aberration in one of the laser beams enables the coma aberration in the other laser beam to be adjusted.

Abstract: An optical-pickup apparatus includes: a three-wavelength-laser diode including first-, second-, and third-laser elements to emit first-, second-, and third laser beams having first, second, and third wavelengths, respectively, the three laser elements housed in the same case; an objective lens to focus the three laser beams onto first- to third-optical-disc-signal-recording layers, respectively; a first photodetector to be irradiated with first-return light reflected from the first-optical-disc-signal-recording layer, a second photodetector to be irradiated with second- and third-return lights respectively reflected from the second- and third-optical-disc-signal-recording layers; a polarizing-beam splitter to reflect the three laser beams toward the lens, and allow the three return lights having passed through the lens to pass therethrough; a semitransparent mirror on which the three return lights having passed through the polarizing-beam splitter are incident, and which guide the first-return light toward th

Abstract: An optical member driving apparatus comprising: a holding member configured to have an optical member mounted thereon; a driving unit assembly configured to be capable of driving the holding member; a connecting member configured to connect the holding member and the driving unit assembly; and a jointing member configured to joint the connecting member and either or both of the holding member and the driving unit assembly.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus including a photodetector including first to fourth quadrant light-receiving portions, a first generating unit configured to generate a focus error signal based on respective signals from the first to fourth light-receiving portions, a second generating unit configured to generate a tracking error signal based on respective signals from the first to fourth light-receiving portions, first to fourth low-pass filters configured to allow respective signals to be input thereto from the first to fourth light-receiving portions, a third generating unit configured to generate a first correction signal for correcting the focus error signal by performing subtraction on an addition signal obtained by adding respective signals from the first and fourth low-pass filters, and an addition signal obtained by adding respective signals from the second and third low-pass filters, and a correction unit configured to correct the focus error signal based on the first correction signal.

Abstract: An astigmatism element converges laser light in a first direction for generating a first focal line, and converges the laser light in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction for generating a second focal line. A light separating element guides the laser light entered into two first areas and into two second areas to four positions different from each other. The light separating element imparts a light separating function to the laser light entered into the first two areas in directions identical to each other and with magnitudes different from each other, and imparts a light separating function to the laser light entered into the two second areas in directions identical to each other and with magnitudes different from each other.

Abstract: A lens includes a lens portion which condenses light; a reflecting flat portion which is formed in a periphery of the lens portion and reflects parallel light to be irradiated to the reflecting flat portion in a direction opposite to the irradiation direction; and a flange portion which is adhered to a lens holder by an adhesive. An applied portion of the adhesive which is formed on the flange portion is inclined with respect to the reflecting flat portion.

Abstract: An optical-pickup apparatus configured to prevent noise caused by return light by superposing a high-frequency signal, generated from a high-frequency signal generation circuit, on a driving signal to be supplied to a laser diode, the optical-pickup apparatus includes: a high-frequency superimposition integrated circuit including the high-frequency signal generation circuit; first wiring connected between an anode of the laser diode and the high-frequency superimposition integrated circuit; and second wiring connected between a cathode of the laser diode and the high-frequency-superimposition integrated circuit, the laser diode and the high-frequency superimposition integrated circuit mounted on a circuit board, the first wiring and the second wiring arranged, for the most part, in a region where the laser diode is arranged, the second wiring configured to pass through between an anode terminal of the laser diode and an anode terminal of a monitor diode.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus comprising: a housing configured to include an optical component including a laser diode emitting a laser beam, the housing being made of metal; and a heatsink configured to dissipate heat generated from the laser diode, the heatsink being made of metal different from the metal of the housing; the heatsink being fixed to the housing with one screw and adhesive.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus comprising: a laser diode; an objective lens made of a synthetic resin configured to focus laser light emitted from the laser diode to a signal recording layer of an optical disc; and a collimating lens having a diffraction grating and arranged in an optical path between the laser diode and the objective lens, the collimating lens being so moved in an optical axis direction of the laser light as to correct spherical aberration occurring in response to a change in temperature when performing a recording operation for the optical disc, and the collimating lens correcting by the diffraction grating chromatic aberration occurring when switching from the recording operation to a reproducing operation for the optical disc.