Abstract: An adhesive positions a beam shaping element in such a manner as to satisfy the following relational expressions (1) and (2): 0<L??WA/(?·?·SAS)??(1) SAS=1000(0.5 m2+1.5m?2)[m?/mm]??(2), if it is assumed that m is the beam shaping magnification of a beam shaping element, L[mm] is the distance from a light source side surface of the beam shaping element to a center position of the adhesive, ?[1/K] is the linear expansion coefficient of a light source retaining holder, ?WA[m?] is amount of astigmatic aberration caused by the beam shaping element, and ?T[K] is an environmental temperature variation amount.

Abstract: An optical pickup device which can improve heat radiation efficiency and an optical disk apparatus including the optical pickup device are provided. The optical pickup device having a base (110), a laser unit (141), an optical system (140) which propagates a laser beam, and an adjusting member (142) includes a heat radiation part (146) which is fixed to a heat radiation surface (141b) of the laser unit and which conducts heat from the heat radiation surface to the adjusting member. Therefore, heat generated by the laser unit is transmitted to the adjusting member and then the base through the heat radiation part to make it possible to efficiently perform heat removal for the laser unit.

Abstract: In an optical beam transmissive adjusting mechanism (110) included in an optical pickup device, arrangement positions of a first transmissive element (111) having a first transmittance and a second transmissive element (112) having a second transmittance higher than the first transmittance are switched by a rotational drive unit (105), and an optical beam having a first optical power and an optical beam having a second optical power are output selectively. Furthermore, since a transmissive element of a non-transmissive side for an optical beam is arranged at an angle inclined to an optical axis of the optical beam, the transmissive element does not obstruct a path of the optical beam to be diffused.

Abstract: The present invention provides an afocal lens for an optical head that can ensure WD while satisfying NA, the optical head, an optical disk apparatus, a computer, an optical disk player, and an optical disk recorder. Using a blue-violet laser beam source with wavelength of about 400 nm, and in an optical head compatible to optical disks having different protective substrate thickness, an afocal lens that expands a diameter of light flux of light from a collimating lens and emits the light as substantially parallel light to an objective lens is provided between the collimating lens and the objective lens. The configuration makes it possible to ensure WD while satisfying NA.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to prevent damage or performance degradation of an optical component constituting a second optical system, and suppress degradation of the recording/reproducing performance of an optical pickup device. A first laser light source 1 emits a first light beam having a first wavelength. A first optical system 17 guides the first light beam to be emitted from the first laser light source 1 to a first optical disc. A DVD integration unit 11 emits a second light beam having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. A second optical system 18 guides the second light beam to be emitted from the DVD integration unit 11 to a second optical disc different from the first optical disc in recording density.

Abstract: To provide an optical pickup and an optical information device, capable of obtaining excellent signal characteristics for an optical disk on and/or from which recording and/or reproducing are performed using a laser. The optical pickup includes an optical detector, a support holder for holding the optical detector, and an optical base for fixing the support holder. The support holder has at least two notches at its both ends, the optical base has convex portions corresponding to the notches of the support holder, the optical base and the support holder are fixed by photo-curable adhesives for bonding the convex portions and the support holder to each other, and the shortest distance between the side faces of the convex portions, which do not face each other, is equal to or less than the width of the support holder in the direction of right and left ends.

Abstract: A small optical pickup of wide spherical aberration correction range includes a rising mirror for perpendicularly deflecting a light beam and guiding the light beam to an objective lens; a spherical aberration correction lens having one surface formed to a larger curvature than the other surface; a lens holder for holding the correction lens so that the surface of large curvature projects towards the rising mirror side; an axially extending guide member; and a slidable part slidable along the guide member. The projecting portion of the slidable part is configured to be fitted within the side surface of the reflecting surface of the rising mirror, and the projecting portion from the lens holder of the spherical aberration correction lens overlaps the reflecting surface of the rising mirror when the spherical aberration correction lens approaches the rising mirror the most.

Abstract: In an optical beam transmissive adjusting mechanism (110) included in an optical pickup device, arrangement positions of a first transmissive element (111) having a first transmittance and a second transmissive element (112) having a second transmittance higher than the first transmittance are switched by a rotational drive unit (105), and an optical beam having a first optical power and an optical beam having a second optical power are output selectively. Furthermore, since a transmissive element of a non-transmissive side for an optical beam is arranged at an angle inclined to an optical axis of the optical beam, the transmissive element does not obstruct a path of the optical beam to be diffused.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an optical head and an optical disk device capable of suitably detecting tracking error signals for different types of optical discs. A polarizing hologram element includes a first area and a second area adjacent to the first area in an area where a beam reflected and diffracted by a BD passes. The first area includes a first transmission area for transmitting many 1st-order diffracted lights from the BD, a second transmission area adjacent to the first transmission area and closer to an optical axis than the first transmission area, and a third transmission area adjacent to the first and second transmission areas. The second area includes a fourth transmission area for transmitting many 1st-order diffracted lights from the BD, a fifth transmission area adjacent to the fourth transmission area and closer to the optical axis than the fourth transmission area, and a sixth transmission area adjacent to the fourth and fifth transmission areas.

Abstract: An optical head (31) is provided with a light source (1) for outputting laser light having a wavelength of 430 nm or less; an objective lens (7) for collecting the laser light outputted from the light source (1) to an optical disc (60) having a plurality of information recording surfaces; a light receiving element (10) for receiving laser light reflected on the optical disc (60); and a detecting lens (8) for guiding the laser light reflected on the optical disc (60) to the light receiving element (10). The detecting lens (8) is formed of a resin material. The detecting lens (8) is arranged so that a light collecting position of the laser light reflected on an information recording surface different from an information recording surface having a thinnest protection substrate, among the information recording surfaces, is outside the detecting lens (8), at the time of recording or reproducing information on or from the information recording surface having the thinnest protection substrate.

Abstract: An optical disk driving apparatus includes an optical head device having a laser light source, a converging optical system converging a light beam emitted by the laser light source onto an optical disk, a photo detector receiving reflected light reflected by the optical disk, and an aberration correcting optical system controlling aberration of the converging optical system; a motor rotating the optical disk; and a control section receiving a signal from the photo detector, wherein the converging optical system has an objective lens formed using resin as a main material, the aberration correcting optical system has a spherical aberration correcting element correcting spherical aberration, and the control section evaluates quality of a reproduction signal for information in the optical disk by using the reflected light received by the photo detector, and utilizes a result of the evaluation to perform closed loop control on the spherical aberration correcting element.

Abstract: An objective lens actuator is provided which includes two objective lenses mounted on a movable body, and which is capable of preventing the movable body from coming into contact or collision with a disk and whose thickness becomes thinner. When a light beam is concentrated and focused on a high-density optical disk, D1 represents the distance between the disk surface and the part of the movable body in the closest position to the disk; when a light beam is concentrated and focused on a CD, D2 represents the distance between the disk surface and the part of the movable body in the closest position to the disk; when a light beam is concentrated and focused on a DVD, D3 represents the distance between the disk surface and the part of the movable body in the closest position to the disk; and the following relational expression (1) is satisfied, D1<D2<D3??(1).

Abstract: An optical head according to the present invention includes: a first light source that emits light with a first wavelength; a beam splitter that splits the light emitted from the first light source into a first light beam traveling in a first direction and a second light beam traveling in a second direction different from the first direction; a first collimator lens for changing degrees of divergence of the first light beam; a first mirror that changes the traveling directions of the first light beam, of which the degrees of divergence have been changed; a first objective lens for converging the first light beam, which has had its traveling directions changed, toward a storage layer of a first optical disk; a mover that holds the first objective lens; a first photodetector that receives the first light beam reflected from the storage layer of the first optical disk and converts it into an electrical signal; a condenser lens for condensing the second light beam; and a second photodetector that receives the sec

Abstract: An optical head is provided with a light source for emitting a first laser beam having a first wavelength shorter than 430 nm, a two-wavelength light source for emitting a second laser beam having a second wavelength equal to or longer than 430 nm, a flat beam splitter in the form of a single plate for reflecting the first laser beam emitted from the light source, a wedge prism in the form of a single plate for reflecting the first laser beam reflected by the flat beam splitter and transmitting the second laser beam emitted from the two-wavelength light source, and an objective lens for focusing the first laser beam reflected by the wedge prism on an information recording surface of a BD. The light source is arranged such that the optical axis of the first laser beam emitted from the light source is inclined with respect to that of the second laser beam emitted from the two-wavelength light source. By this construction, the miniaturization of the optical head can be realized.

Abstract: An objective lens unit according to the present invention includes a first objective lens 41; and a first lens holder 2 for supporting the first objective lens 41. The first lens holder 2 is formed of a material which transmits ultraviolet. Preferably, the first lens holder 2 includes a through-hole, having first and second openings 2a and 2b, through which light incident on the first objective lens 41 passes, and an opening limiting section 3 provided along a circumferential direction of the through-hole and projecting toward a central axis of the through-hole. The first objective lens 41 is supported so as to block the first opening 2b. The opening limiting section 3 guides light incident thereon from the second opening 2a in a direction away from an optical axis of the first objective lens.

Abstract: An adhesive positions a beam shaping element in such a manner as to satisfy the following relational expressions (1) and (2): 0<L??WA/(?·?·SAS)??(1) SAS=1000(0.5 m2+1.5 m?2)[m?/mm]??(2), if it is assumed that m is the beam shaping magnification of a beam shaping element, L[mm] is the distance from a light source side surface of the beam shaping elements to a center position of the adhesive, ?[1/K] is the linear expansion coefficient of a light source retaining holder, ?WA[m?] is amount of astigmatic aberration caused by the beam shaping element, and ?T[K] is an environmental temperature variation amount.

Abstract: An optical pickup includes: a laser light source which outputs an divergent beam having an elliptical far-field pattern; a beam shaping element having at least one cylindrical plane and which shapes the divergent beam outputted from the laser light source into an divergent beam having a prescribed shape in which at least the length in the major axis direction of the elliptical shape is shortened; a light collecting portion having a beam splitter which perpendicularly collects the divergent beam that is outputted from the beam shaping element and which has a prescribed shape on the recording surface of an optical disk, and a mirror or the like; and a light detecting portion The optical axis of the divergent beam is rotated so that the direction in which the major axis of the divergent beam having a prescribed shape is shortened conforms to the radial direction of an optical information recording medium.

Abstract: The present invention is provided with a detection region for detecting light that is reflected from a first or a second information recording medium and that passes through an optical element. The first information recording medium and the second information recording media are multi-layer disks that have at least two layers, and the detection region includes a detection region (41) for detecting first order and above diffracted light that has a first wavelength, and a detection region (42) for detecting first order and above diffracted light that has a second wavelength.

Abstract: A small optical pickup of wide spherical aberration correction range is provided.

Abstract: A protruding portion 131 is formed on a surface of an optical base 110 on which a light source 101 is placed. A curing-type resin 140 is coated in a gap 132 between a light source holder 111 holding the light source and the protruding portion on the optical base, so that a sufficient securing strength is obtained against an external influence such as a drop impact by using only the curing-type resin, and heat generated from the light source can be efficiently released to the base.