Abstract: A recording layer of an optical recording medium is made of a polymer film containing a polymer solid, such as polymethyl methacrylate, as a main ingredient. The polymer film contains a dye to absorb light having a specific wavelength band, and the optical recording medium exhibits anisotropy in at least one of light absorption intensity and emission intensity by irradiating the recording layer with a linearly polarized light having the specific wavelength band and an arbitrary polarization direction. It is preferable that the specific wavelength band is included in a wavelength region of 350 nm to 450 nm.

Abstract: A detection unit of an optical pickup apparatus includes an optical element to simultaneously extract plural specified lights having a different polarization direction respectively in a separated state from light from an optical recording medium, and a light amount measurement unit to simultaneously perform light amount measurement on each of the plural specified lights extracted by the optical element. At the time of reproduction of information, reflected light from the optical recording medium in the case where reproducing light is irradiated, or emission light emitted from the optical recording medium by irradiation of reproducing light is sent to a detection unit.