Abstract: A light receiving element includes pixels, a wiring region, and a separation region. The pixels have photoelectric conversion units, each photoelectric conversion unit being disposed in a semiconductor substrate to perform photoelectric conversion of incident light. The wiring region has a wiring layer that is connected to the photoelectric conversion unit to transmit a signal and an insulating layer that insulates the wiring layer, the wiring region being disposed adjacent to a front surface opposite to a back surface which is a surface on which the incident light is incident in the semiconductor substrate. The separation region is disposed in the semiconductor substrate at a boundary between the pixels, is formed in a shape which penetrates the semiconductor substrate and in which a width on the front surface side is wider than a width on the back surface side, and separates the photoelectric conversion units from each other.

Abstract: A decrease in an insulation resistance between a separation region at a boundary between pixels and a wiring layer is prevented. A light receiving element includes the pixels, the separation region, the wiring layer, and a wiring layer protective film. The pixels included in the light receiving element have photoelectric conversion units, each photoelectric conversion unit being disposed in a semiconductor substrate to perform photoelectric conversion of incident light. The separation region included in the light receiving element is disposed at a boundary between the photoelectric conversion units and separates the photoelectric conversion units from each other. The wiring layer included in the light receiving element is wired to the pixels. The wiring layer protective film included in the light receiving element is disposed between the separation region and the wiring layer to protect the wiring layer.

Abstract: The output voltage of a cathode drive-type semiconductor laser driving circuit is set to a minimum, power consumption by a driving circuit portion is suppressed, and the heat that is generated by the optical head or the optical disc device is reduced. In addition to a conventional configuration, the semiconductor laser driving circuit of the invention measures the cathode voltage (Vout) of a semiconductor laser (1) and controls the anode voltage (Vld) such that the cathode voltage (Vout) becomes a predetermined level, and by doing so sets the output voltage of the semiconductor laser driving circuit to a predetermined level in order to curtail power consumption by the driving circuit and minimize the rise in temperature of the optical head or the optical disc device.

Abstract: An optical pickup according to the present invention includes an integrated circuit element (LDD) 5 for driving first, second, and third semiconductor lasers 3, 4, and 5. The LDD 50 is shaped so as to have a rectangular principal face surrounded by one side, with a plurality of input/output pins being arranged along each side. The plurality of input/output pins include a first pin group connected to a blue-violet laser 5 whose oscillation wavelength is the shortest, a second pin group connected to a red laser 4, and a third pin group connected to an infrared laser 3. The wiring structure of the optical pickup includes a first transmission line 41 for connecting the first pin group to the blue-violet laser 5, a second transmission line 33 for connecting the second pin group to the red laser 4, and a third transmission line 31 for connecting the third pin group to the infrared laser 3, where the first transmission line 41 is shorter than both the second and third transmission lines 31 and 33.

Abstract: An output voltage of a cathode driving type semiconductor laser driving circuit is made minimum, power consumption of a driving circuit section is suppressed, and heat generation of an optical head or an optical disc device is reduced. In addition to the conventional constitution, the semiconductor laser driving circuit permits the output voltage of the semiconductor laser driving circuit to be at a prescribed level by measuring a cathode voltage (Vout) of a semiconductor laser (1) and controlling an anode voltage (Vld) so that the cathode voltage (Vout) is at the prescribed level, reduces power consumption of the driving circuit and suppresses temperature increase of the optical head or the optical disc device to be minimum.

Abstract: An optical pickup according to the present invention includes an integrated circuit element (LDD) 5 for driving first, second, and third semiconductor lasers 3, 4, and 5. The LDD 50 is shaped so as to have a rectangular principal face surrounded by one side, with a plurality of input/output pins being arranged along each side. The plurality of input/output pins include a first pin group connected to a blue-violet laser 5 whose oscillation wavelength is the shortest, a second pin group connected to a red laser 4, and a third pin group connected to an infrared laser 3. The wiring structure of the optical pickup includes a first transmission line 41 for connecting the first pin group to the blue-violet laser 5, a second transmission line 33 for connecting the second pin group to the red laser 4, and a third transmission line 31 for connecting the third pin group to the infrared laser 3, where the first transmission line 41 is shorter than both the second and third transmission lines 31 and 33.

Abstract: A laser driving device is provided that can support a higher speed and drives a semiconductor laser (3) to emit light in a pulse-like manner in accordance with a digital signal. The laser driving device includes a temperature sensor (5), a recording pulse generator (1), an auxiliary pulse generator (4), and an adder (8). The temperature sensor (5) produces a measured temperature that changes in accordance with a temperature of the semiconductor laser. The recording pulse generator (1), the auxiliary pulse generator (4), and the adder (8) produce a pulse-like signal having a shape corresponding to the measured temperature.

Abstract: An optical pickup according to the present invention includes an integrated circuit element (LDD) 5 for driving first, second, and third semiconductor lasers 3, 4, and 5. The LDD 50 is shaped so as to have a rectangular principal face surrounded by one side, with a plurality of input/output pins being arranged along each side. The plurality of input/output pins include a first pin group connected to a blue-violet laser 5 whose oscillation wavelength is the shortest, a second pin group connected to a red laser 4, and a third pin group connected to an infrared laser 3. The wiring structure of the optical pickup includes a first transmission line 41 for connecting the first pin group to the blue-violet laser 5, a second transmission line 33 for connecting the second pin group to the red laser 4, and a third transmission line 31 for connecting the third pin group to the infrared laser 3, where the first transmission line 41 is shorter than both the second and third transmission lines 31 and 33.

Abstract: A tracking control apparatus for stable tracking lead-in of an optical disc which has wobble grooves as tracks, including: a signal detection unit that detects tracking error and wobble signals from an optical spot; a speed detection unit that calculates a relative moving speed between the optical spot and the tracks; a polarity judgment unit that judges that the optical spot is on a land if a wobble signal amplitude value is equal to or lower than a predetermined value in the vicinity of a zero-cross point; a moving direction judgment unit that, when the relative moving speed is within a predetermined range and the optical spot is on a land, judges a moving direction of the optical spot from a rise/decay direction of the tracking error signal; and a control unit that performs a tracking lead-in by reducing the moving speed, based on the moving speed and moving direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device according to the present invention includes a mechanism section having a semiconductor laser, a first frame for holding the mechanism section and radiating heat generated in the mechanism section, a control section for controlling the mechanism section, a second frame for holding the control section and radiating heat generated in the control section, and a coupling section for insulatively coupling the first frame to the second frame.

Abstract: An optical disk according to the present invention is the optical disk on which secret information on unique information given to a specific optical disk manufacturer or a specific optical disk and information recorded on an infringement disk list of identifying an illegitimate optical disk manufacturer or an illegitimate optical disk are recorded in advance, and the optical disk has an area in which reproduction-only encrypted data encrypted based on the secret information and the information on the infringement disk list is recorded in advance or an area capable of recording the encrypted data to be encrypted based on the secret information and the information on the infringement disk list.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus is provided, which comprising a laser light emitting portion for generating laser light for irradiating an optical disc, and a laser control portion for controlling a light emission operation of the laser light emitting portion. The laser control portion causes the laser light emitting portion to emit light with a first period during a first operation, and the laser control portion causes the laser light emitting portion to emit light with a second period during a second operation. The first period and the second period are different from each other.

Abstract: An optical disc cutting apparatus capable of suppressing an unnecessary deflection component and unnecessary light intensity variation component and manufacturing a optical disc suitable for a high definition, high precision and high density optical disc.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device according to the present invention includes a mechanism section having a semiconductor laser, a first frame for holding the mechanism section and radiating heat generated in the mechanism section, a control section for controlling the mechanism section, a second frame for holding the control section and radiating heat generated in the control section, and a coupling section for insulatively coupling the first frame to the second frame.

Abstract: A tracking control apparatus for stable tracking lead-in of an optical disc which has wobble grooves as tracks, including: a signal detection unit that detects tracking error and wobble signals from an optical spot; a speed detection unit that calculates a relative moving speed between the optical spot and the tracks; a polarity judgment unit that judges that the optical spot is on a land if a wobble signal amplitude value is equal to or lower than a predetermined value in the vicinity of a zero-cross point; a moving direction judgment unit that, when the relative moving speed is within a predetermined range and the optical spot is on a land, judges a moving direction of the optical spot from a rise/decay direction of the tracking error signal; and a control unit that performs a tracking lead-in by reducing the moving speed, based on the moving speed and moving direction.

Abstract: An optical disk is made of tracks that are magnetically separated from one another by scanning a focused light beam over lands between tracks at a predetermined power and annealing to lower the magnetic anisotropy of a magnetic layer on the lands, and is provided with a power testing region comprising one or more tracks for finding the predetermined annealing power at the location of at least one of the group consisting of a specific region within the data region, a region more to the inner side than the innermost track of the data region, and a region more to the outer side than the outermost track of the data region. Thus, an optical disk and a manufacturing method for the same can be provided that have a high recording density and with which annealing can be implemented in a short time and at the correct annealing width.

Abstract: A laser driving device is provided that can support a higher speed and drives a semiconductor laser (3) to emit light in a pulse-like manner in accordance with a digital signal. The laser driving device includes a temperature sensor (5), a recording pulse generator (1), an auxiliary pulse generator (4), and an adder (8). The temperature sensor (5) produces a measured temperature that changes in accordance with a temperature of the semiconductor laser. The recording pulse generator (1), the auxiliary pulse generator (4), and the adder (8) produce a pulse-like signal having a shape corresponding to the measured temperature.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus is provided, which comprising a laser light emitting portion for generating laser light for irradiating an optical disc, and a laser control portion for controlling a light emission operation of the laser light emitting portion. The laser control portion causes the laser light emitting portion to emit light with a first period during a first operation, and the laser control portion causes the laser light emitting portion to emit light with a second period during a second operation. The first period and the second period are different from each other.

Abstract: An optical disk is made of tracks that are magnetically separated from one another by scanning a focused light beam over lands between tracks at a predetermined power and annealing to lower the magnetic anisotropy of a magnetic layer on the lands, and is provided with a power testing region comprising one or more tracks for finding the predetermined annealing power at the location of at least one of the group consisting of a specific region within the data region, a region more to the inner side than the innermost track of the data region, and a region more to the outer side than the outermost track of the data region. Thus, an optical disk and a manufacturing method for the same can be provided that have a high recording density and with which annealing can be implemented in a short time and at the correct annealing width.

Abstract: An optical disk according to the present invention is the optical disk on which secret information on unique information given to a specific optical disk manufacturer or a specific optical disk and information recorded on an infringement disk list of identifying an illegitimate optical disk manufacturer or an illegitimate optical disk are recorded in advance, and the optical disk has an area in which reproduction-only encrypted data encrypted based on the secret information and the information on the infringement disk list is recorded in advance or an area capable of recording the encrypted data to be encrypted based on the secret information and the information on the infringement disk list.