Abstract: A laser beam output from a semiconductor laser light source 1 is transmitted through a cover glass 2 in the optical axis Z direction, is incident on a molded lens 4 in a state of divergent rays, is converted into convergent rays by the molded lens 4, and is applied onto a recording face 5 of the optical recording medium. A diaphragm 3 is arranged. An area of each lens surface onto which a luminous flux of the laser beam restricted by the diaphragm 3 is applied corresponds to an effective area. The following expression (1) is satisfied: d1?d0?0.04 mm??(1) where d0 denotes an effective aperture of one of the lens surfaces, and d1 denotes an outer diameter of the one of the lens surfaces.