Abstract: An optical apparatus according to the present invention comprises an optical base having a bonding surface, and an optical component fixedly bonded to the bonding surface with an adhesive. The optical base has an open hole formed in the bonding surface. The open hole is filled with the adhesive. The optical component contacts the open hole so that a part of the open hole is left unclosed.

Abstract: An optical pickup device is disclosed. The device includes: a light source that emits a light beam of a predetermined wavelength of about 405 nm; an objective lens being a plastic lens provided with, on at least one surface, diffraction means of a zone diffractive structure suppressing generation of aberration to be caused by a temperature change, and has a numerical aperture of 0.82 or larger for gathering the light beam emitted from the light source with respect to an optical disk; and a collimator lens disposed between the light source and the objective lens, and derives a substantially-collimated light by converting an angle of divergence of the light beam emitted from the light source.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal optical modulation element which is excellent in durability against blue laser and which can maintain the characteristics for a long period of time. A liquid crystal optical modulation element to modulate a laser beam having a wavelength of at most 500 nm, which comprises a layer of a polymer liquid crystal composition sandwiched between a pair of transparent substrates facing each other, characterized in that each of the pair of transparent substrates has an alignment film on the surface which faces the other transparent substrate, and the polymer liquid crystal composition is a polymer liquid crystal containing a hindered amine compound and a hindered phenol compound.

Abstract: There is provided an optical pickup apparatus and a beam splitter which are capable of suppressing an adverse effect resulting from light reflected by a non-light-condensed layer that is different from a light-condensed layer. In respective TES light-receiving sections, interposed light-receiving elements are disposed so as to be adjacent to first sub beam-receiving elements. The interposed light-receiving elements are disposed away from both of positions where a main beam reflected by a light-condensing recording layer is condensed and where respective sub beams reflected by the light-condensing recording layer are condensed, and disposed so as to be adjacent to the first sub beam-receiving elements. The interposed light-receiving elements receive the main beam reflected by a non-light-condensing recording layer In a compensating section, results of light received by the first sub beam-receiving elements are compensated based on results of light received by the interposed light-receiving elements.

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 optical pickup device includes light sources for respectively emitting a plurality of different wavelengths of light, a unit structured for causing at least a part of the light emitted from the light sources to pass a same optical path; and a focusing unit for focusing the light. The focusing unit includes at least first and second focusing parts, the first focusing part being to focus mainly a wavelength of light different from a wavelength of light to be mainly focused by the second focusing part. The optical pickup device and optical disk device are capable of realizing at least one of thickness reduction, size reduction and suppression against characteristic deterioration even where coping with various wavelengths of laser including a blue laser.

Abstract: An optical pickup unit includes a light source emitting a light beam, an objective lens focusing the light beam onto an information recording medium, a light detection part receiving the light beam reflected from the information recording medium, and a light blocking part selectively blocking a part of the light beam with respect to a radial direction. The light blocking part is provided in an optical path of the light beam centered on an optical axis.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus and a drive apparatus having the same are provided. Second light-receiving elements or third light-receiving elements for receiving ±first-order diffraction light beams from a polarization hologram are arranged outwardly of a circular region having the optical axis of a zero-order diffraction light beam on a light detector as its center, a radius of which is expressed by (2×t/n)×(f2/f1), where f1 denotes a focal length of an objective lens, f2 denotes a focal length of a coupling lens, t denotes a maximum value of a light transmitting layer thickness, n denotes a refractive index of a light transmitting layer.

Abstract: A hologram recording/reconstructing apparatus includes a spatial modulator in which a reference beam region and a reconstruction beam region are formed, and a controller configured to control a range of the reference beam region and a range of the reconstruction beam region. According to a temperature of a hologram recording medium during recording, the controller sets the range of the reference beam region to a first predetermined range and thereby sets a range of an incident angle of a reference beam on the hologram recording medium to a first predetermined angle range. According to a temperature of the hologram recording medium during reconstruction of recorded data, the controller sets the range of the reconstruction beam region to a second predetermined range and thereby sets a range of an incident angle of a reconstruction beam on the hologram recording medium to a second predetermined angle range.

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: A compatible optical pickup can be used with advanced optical discs (AODs), blu-ray discs (BDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), and compact discs (CDs). The compatible optical pickup comprises a first light source unit for independently projecting first and second short-wavelength laser beams which have different polarizations, a second light source unit for independently projecting first and second long-wavelength laser beams which have different wavelength-range, a first objective lens that has a high numerical aperture suitable for a high density optical information recording medium, a second objective lens that has a low numerical aperture suitable for a low density optical information recording medium, and a light path changing unit for guiding the first short-wavelength laser beams to the first objective lens and guiding the second short-wavelength laser beams, the first long-wavelength laser beams, and the second long-wavelength laser beams to the second objective lens.

Abstract: To record information as an array of optically changed portions arranged along a track in an optical storage medium, a pulsed laser beam is emitted toward the optical storage medium while causing at least one of the optical storage medium and the pulsed laser beam to be moved relative to each other. A plurality of pulses of the pulsed laser beam are emitted during a time span in which one segment of the track having a length corresponding to a length of one optically changed portion is scanned with the pulsed laser beam. An intensity of light with which a segment of the track is to be illuminated to form each individual optically changed portion is adjusted by causing a shutter to selectively reduce the number of pulses of the pulsed laser beam with which the segment of the track is to be illuminated.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element includes a first optical part and a second optical part bonded to each other with a bonded surface therebetween configured as a diffraction surface. In this diffractive optical element, the diffraction order of diffracted light with the largest quantity of light out of diffracted light for one of a plurality of kinds of laser beams obtained on the diffraction surface is different from the diffraction order for at least another laser beam.

Abstract: An optical recording head includes: a light source; a slider comprising a wave guide which irradiates light from the light source to a recording medium, wherein a grating coupler is formed on an end portion at an opposite side of the waveguide relative to the light source; and an optical element which comprises a diffraction grating and introduces the light from the light source to the grating coupler through the diffraction grating. The optical element deflects the light from the light source so that the light is incident into the grating coupler with a deflection angle larger than 90 degrees with respect to a direction in which the light proceeds when the light is incident into the optical element.

Abstract: An optical pickup device radiates laser light to a disc having a plurality of recording layers in a direction of lamination. The optical pickup device includes an astigmatic element and a spectral element. The astigmatic element allows reflected light from the disc to converge in a first direction and form a first focal line at a first position, and allows reflected light to converge in a second direction and form a second focal line at a second position closer to the disc than the first position. The spectral element splits a reflected light flux in two along a straight line parallel to the first direction and turns traveling directions of the split two light fluxes into directions separated from each other. Here, the spectral element is interposed between the second focal line of the reflected light from a target recording layer and the second focal line of the reflected light from a deeper recording layer than the target recording layer.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a moveable arm for positioning an optical transducer adjacent to a storage medium, a light source, and an elliptical or ellipsoid shaped mirror mounted for reflecting light from the light source to the optical transducer. The elliptical mirror can be positioned on an ellipse, the moveable arm can pivot about an axis passing through a first focus of the ellipse, and the light source can direct light from a point on a second axis passing through a second focus of the ellipse to the elliptical minor. The light source can include a fixed laser and a moveable mirror mounted to pivot about the second axis or a moveable laser mounted to pivot about the second axis. A method performed by the apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus aiming at reduction of adverse effect on a tracking control signal and a data signal by preventing the reflected light from the adjacent layers of a multilayer disc changing to a stray light. In this optical pickup apparatus, the reflected light from the optical disc including the stray light from the adjacent layer is once focused with a focusing lens and is then reflected with the reflection plate. A flat attenuation element is provided between the lens and the reflection plate parallel to the optical axis with inclusion of the optical axis under the condition separated from the reflection plate. The reflection plate reflects the reflected light from the relevant layer and the attenuation element shields the reflected light from the adjacent layer. The light returning to the focusing lens includes less influence of the stray light. This light is detected with a detector to become a control signal and a data signal.

Abstract: An optical pickup performing recording, reproduction and deletion of information on or from an optical recording medium. The pickup includes light sources for information recording media using a blue wavelength beam, information recording media of DVD family and information recording media of CD family. A single object lens may be used to condense light from any of the light sources. A single aberration correction device may be disposed in a common light path between each of the light sources and the object lens.

Abstract: An optical head for reading an object includes a hollow housing, a light source module, a diffuser structure and a light sensing module. The light source module is fixed in the hollow housing and provides an initial light ray. The diffuser structure is connected the hollow housing, receives the initial light ray, and processes the initial light ray into a uniform light ray for output. The initial light ray is reflected by the diffuser structure multiple times to form the uniform light ray. The light sensing module is fixed in the hollow housing and senses the uniform light ray reflected by the object. An optical axis of the light sensing module is substantially parallel to an axial direction of the diffuser structure.

Abstract: An optical pickup device includes a first optical system and a second optical system. The first optical system and the second optical system each include a mirror member that reflects light from a light source to change a direction of propagation of the light to a direction substantially perpendicular to the information storage surface of an optical disc. The first optical system and the second optical system are arranged such that a direction in which light from a first light source enters a first mirror member is substantially perpendicular to a direction in which light from a second light source enters a second mirror member.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an optical waveguide, a grating for coupling light into the waveguide, and an optical element for splitting a light beam into a plurality of beams that strike the grating at different angles of incidence.

Abstract: On an optical path between a light source and an objective lens, there is provided an optical path changing section for changing a predetermined optical path of undesired light passing through, from the predetermined optical path to another optical path. The optical path changing section includes a plate having an aperture portion for allowing a laser beam emitted from the light source to pass through, and an aperture wall which defines the aperture portion of the plate includes a taper portion which is formed in a tapered-shape and slants so as to come close to an optical axis L1 of the light source in association with movement toward a laser beam outgoing direction. The undesired light from the light source is reflected by the taper portion to change the predetermined optical path of the undesired light passing through, from the predetermined optical path to another optical path.

Abstract: A monitor optical device has a first region and a second region. The first region transmits part of light beam emitted from a light source to introduce the transmitted light beam to a monitor device. The second region reflects the remainder of the light beam to introduce the reflected light beam to an optical disk. The first region is formed at least within the second region.

Abstract: An optical pickup head includes a first light source, a second light source, a base, a light adjusting unit, and a light guiding unit. The first light source emits a first wavelength light beam to read a first data density optical storage medium. The second light source emits a second wavelength light beam to read a second data density optical storage medium. The base includes at least a slant surface for reflecting the first wavelength light beam and the second wavelength light beam, so that the first wavelength light beam and the second wavelength light beam are parallel with each other. The light adjusting unit adjusts the first wavelength light beam and the second wavelength light beam to the same optical axis. The light guiding unit guides the first wavelength light beam and the second wavelength light beam to the first data density optical storage medium or the second data density optical storage medium.

Abstract: A laser beam 32 reflected by an information layer of a multilayer optical disc 26 is reflected and split by reflecting surfaces 31a?, 31b, 31c and 31d to be incident on a photodetector element 36 as laser beams 33, 34 and 35. The laser beam 34 is collected on a light receiving region 38 for RF detection to generate an RF signal. The laser beams 33, 35 are incident on light receiving regions 37a, 37b for focus detection, and a focus error signal is generated by an SSD method. A laser beam 65 reflected by an information layer adjacent to the above information layer partially transmits through the reflecting surface 31a? to be imaged on a light receiving region 66 for tracking detection, and a tracking error signal is generated.

Abstract: An optical pickup includes: a frame, having a first face formed with a groove, a second face opposite to the first face, a first hole in which a diffraction grating is disposed, and a second hole communicated with the groove and the second face; a spring plate, attached to the first face; and a spring member, including a ring portion disposed in the first hole and abutting on the diffraction grating, a first arm portion extended from an outer peripheral edge of the ring portion and inserted in the groove, and a second arm portion connected to the first arm portion and inserted in the second hole.

Abstract: An optical pickup which is compatible with different types of media is disclosed. A plurality of light sources emit light with different wavelengths. Light path changers change the path of light emitted by the plurality of light sources so that the light is incident upon an objective lens. The objective lens focuses the incident light onto a recording medium. A collimating lens is disposed in front of the objective lens to collimate the incident lights. The collimating lens is movable to correct a spherical aberration. A diffractive optical element is disposed in a path of a light with a short wavelength and has a diffractive surface to correct a chromatic aberration.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for performing layer changes for an optical disk drive. In one embodiment, the optical disk drive intends to move a focus of a laserbeam emitted by a pickup head from a present layer onto a target layer of an optical disk. First, an amplitude ratio between a first amplitude of a first S-curve of a previous focusing error signal and a second amplitude of a second S-curve of the previous focusing error signal is determined. The object lens is then moved towards a target position for focusing of the laserbeam on the target layer. A focusing error signal is then generated. The focusing error signal is then amplified or attenuated according to the amplitude ratio to obtain an amplified or attenuated focusing error signal. Whether the object lens has reached the target position is then determined according to the amplified or attenuated focusing error signal.

Abstract: A very small spot-size light beam forming apparatus of the present invention comprises: a conductive film for generating a surface plasmon when an inputted light is applied thereto: a plurality of nano projections, each connected to the conductive film at one end, for receiving a portion of the surface plasmon, and outputting a plurality of input surface plasmons, respectively, from the other end of each of the plurality of nano projections, the other end of each of the plurality of nano projections having a diameter smaller than a wavelength of the inputted light; a coupling unit, connected to the other end of each of the plurality of nano projections, for receiving and coupling the plurality of input surface plasmons, so as to generate a coupled surface plasmon; and a negative-refractive-index lens, connected to the coupling unit and having a negative refractive index, for receiving a near-field light generated due to the coupled surface plasmon, and collecting the near-field light on a recording surface of

Abstract: Fifth order spherical aberration in addition to third order spherical aberration for an optical information recording medium of which thickness of a light transmission layer changes greatly is corrected. An objective lens collects a laser beam emitted from a semiconductor laser on an optical information recording medium. A spherical aberration correcting portion corrects spherical aberration generated according to a thickness of the light transmission layer of the optical information recording medium, in which the spherical aberration correcting portion includes a collimator lens, a lens holder and a stepping motor for correcting the third order spherical aberration and a liquid crystal element and an applied voltage control portion for correcting the fifth order spherical aberration.

Abstract: To reduce the size or thickness of an optical pickup device and an optical disk drive, an optical pickup device includes a light source that radiates laser light; a condensing member that condenses the laser light onto a recording medium; an optical member that reflects some of the laser light radiated from the light source into the condensing member and transmits the rest of the radiated laser light; and a light receiving sensor that receives the rest of the laser light transmitted through the optical member so as to detect an amount of laser light.

Abstract: An optical pickup includes: light collecting element for selectively collecting main and sub beams emitted toward an optical disc formed by layering at least first and second recording layers, onto one of first and second recording layers; main and sub light reception elements receiving the main and sub light from the main and sub beams collected from the optical disc and outputting main and sub light signals; tracking error signal generator for generating a tracking error signal according to the sub light signal; noise component calculator for calculating a noise component generated by interference between the sub light and an invalid light attributed to at least one of the applied main and sub beams and received together with the sub light and the sub light from the other of the first and the second recording layer; and noise remover for removing the calculated noise component from the tracking error signal.

Abstract: An optical-system driving device is achieved that can switch over between objective lenses and is space-saving, lightweight, and simply-configured. An optical-system driving device for recording information onto or playing it back from an optical storage medium, includes a stationary unit having a rotation axis; a movable unit pivotable about the rotation axis; pivotal movement means for pivotally moving the movable unit about the rotation axis; and the movable unit includes a holder having a plurality of optical means that is able to focus a beam of light onto the optical storage medium, and a plurality of conductive elastic members for supporting the holder, wherein an optical axis of each of the plurality of optical means is located substantially equidistant from the rotation axis, and the optical means for focusing the beam of light onto the optical storage medium is selected by pivotally moving the movable unit with the rotation means.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical scanning device for scanning in a first mode a first information layer (111) of an information carrier and in a second mode a second information layer (112) of the information carrier. The optical scanning device comprises a radiation source (101) for generating a radiation beam (102), an objective system (105) for focusing an entrance beam on an information layer and an optical element (103) arranged between the radiation source and the objective system, for converting said radiation beam into a diverging entrance beam in the first mode and a converging entrance beam in the second mode.

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 objective lens, for an optical information read/write device that performs read/write operations on each of a plurality of optical discs using a corresponding one of three laser beams having first, second, and third wavelengths ?1, ?2, and ?3 (nm) satisfying a relationship ?1<?2<?3, respectively, includes a phase shift structure having a plurality of ring-shaped refractive surface zones into which at least one surface of the objective lens is concentrically divided. The objective lens is made of material with an Abbe number ?d satisfying a condition 40??d?80. The phase shift structure has a step between each couple of the adjacent refractive surface zones that gives an optical path difference to an incident laser beam, so that a condition 2N+1.00<|?OPD/?1|<2N+1.30 is satisfied, where ?OPD represents the optical path difference (nm) that the step gives to the laser beam with the first wavelength, and N represents a non-negative integer.

Abstract: There are provided: an optical recording method containing a deviation detecting step, a horizontal location controlling step, and an interference image recording step; an optical recording apparatus containing a derivation detecting unit, a horizontal location controlling unit, and an interference image recording unit; an optical recording medium recorded in accordance with the optical recording method; and an optical reproducing method reproducing a recorded information recorded in accordance with the optical recording method.

Abstract: A near field light generating device generating near field light from incident light by using a solid immersion mirror and a heat assisted magnetic recording head with the same are provided. The near field light generating device includes a light source; a waveguide core which transmits light; and a solid immersion mirror, which generates near field light, including an upper transmission surface through which light from the waveguide core is transmitted into the solid immersion mirror, a lower reflection surface, opposite the upper transmission surface, which reflections light incident thereon, lateral reflection surfaces, facing each other at sides of the solid immersion mirror, which reflect light incident thereon, and a lower transmission region disposed at a center of the lower reflection surface. Light reflected from the lateral reflection surfaces forms a light spot on the lower transmission region.

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 optical integrated device includes a light source; a light splitting-and-guiding section that splits a reflected light beam into two end light beams, a connection light beam, and a residual light beam, and guides the two end light beams and the connection light beam in directions different from a direction of the residual light beam; and a light receiving section that receives the two end light beams and the connection light beam with photodetection devices divided, in the tangential direction, into at least two regions within a range in which the connection light beam is incident, receives the residual light beam with photodetection devices divided, in the tangential direction, into regions having widths corresponding to portions on which the two end light beams are incident, and outputs a detection signal in accordance with an amount of light received with each of the photodetection devices.

Abstract: An optical pickup device enables prevention of an increase of spherical aberration during tracking without needing any finite optical system. The diameters of parallel light beams (A, B, C) for the next-generation DVDs, DVDs, and CDs are limited to diameters of a, b, c (a>b>c) in accordance with the NA for each type by a light beam limiting element, the diameter of light beam B is limited to the diameter ranges of b to c and d (=0.85×c) to e (d>e>0), the diameter of the light beam C is limited to the diameter ranges of c to d and less than e. They are passed through a phase correcting element (13B) and focused on the corresponding optical recording medium signal planes by means of a common objective lens. The objective lens is so optimized that the wave front aberration to the light beam A is minimum on the signal plane of the next generation DVD.

Abstract: There is provided an objective lens used for three types of optical discs including by selectively using one of three types of light beams. At least one of surfaces of the objective lens is provided with a first region converging the third light beam on a recoding surface of the third optical disc. The first region has a step structure configured to have concentric refractive surface zones and to give an optical path length difference to an incident beam at each step formed between adjacent refractive surface zones. The step structure is configured such that the optical path length difference given by each step is substantially equal to an odd multiple of a wavelength of a first light beam, and a value of differentiation of an optical path difference function defining the step structure crosses zero in a height ranging from 30% to 70% of an effective diameter of the first region.

Abstract: In an optical pickup capable of removing inter-layer crosstalk, a dark line that may appear in a central portion of a beam is removed. Thereby, an error in a data signal is reduced. Reflected light from a multi-layer disc is split into two parallel bundles with a splitting optical system in a way that the light is split at a central line. Thereby, when reflected light from a target layer is focused, the reflected light is not influenced from an attenuation element provided on an optical axis.

Abstract: When the DVD provided with the DVD substrate 2 having thickness t2 of 0.6 mm is installed in the optical disc apparatus, the light beam 4 having wavelength ?1=655 nm is used as luminous flux of numerical aperture NA=0.63 to be condensed on the information surface 2a on the DVD substrate 2. When the CD provided with the CD substrate 3 having thickness t2 of 1.2 mm is installed in the optical disc apparatus, the light beam 5 having wavelength ?2=790 nm is effectively used as luminous flux of approximate numerical aperture NA=0.45 to be condensed on the information surface 3a on the DVD substrate 3. The wavefront aberration caused by a thickness difference between the DVD substrate 2 and CD substrate 3 is canceled out by the chromatic aberration caused by a wavelength difference between the light beams 4 and 5. Therefore, in spite of the difference in the transparent substrates, the light beams are suitably condensed respectively on the information surface 2a and 3a.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus includes a light source to emit light of a predetermined wavelength, an objective lens to focus the light emitted from the light source to form a light spot on an optical disc having a plurality of recording layers, a photodetector to detect a signal and an error signal by detecting the light reflected from the optical disc, and a light scattering portion to reduce an amount of the light reflected from a non-target layer of the recording layers and incident on the photodetector by scattering part of the light reflected from the optical disc during a reproduction of data from the optical disc.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for recording data on a holographic storage medium. The apparatus includes: a light a light processing unit comprising the holographic storage medium and a light modulator, and recording data on the holographic storage medium using a reference beam and a signal beam modulated by the light modulator; and a control unit controlling the light processing unit to record the data on the holographic storage medium, wherein the light modulator is arranged so that an image formed on a surface of the light modulator is shorter in a radial direction that is a scanning direction of the reference beam than in a tangential direction that is perpendicular to the radial direction.

Abstract: An optical head device and an optical recording and reproducing apparatus using this optical head device, which can record information and reproduce the recorded information at any of optical recording media, such as a next generation optical recording medium, in which the wavelength of the light source is made to be shorter, the numerical aperture of the objective lens is made to be higher, and the thickness of the recording medium is made to be thinner, and conventional recording media of DVD and CD standards, are provided. A light having wavelength of 405 nm, emitted from one of optics, is inputted to an objective lens as a collimated light, and is focused on a disk having thickness of 0.1 mm. A light having wavelength of 650 nm, emitted from the other of optics, is inputted to the objective lens as a diverged light, and is focused on a disk having thickness of 0.6 mm.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a protection member used for preventing a contact between a lens for focusing light on an optical information recording medium and the optical information recording medium upon optically recording or reproducing information on or from the optical information recording medium, the protection member including an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene porous film; and an optical pickup device having the protection member.

Abstract: A pickup for accessing moving storage media, carrying substantially parallel information tracks, has a carrier, an actuator and suspension elements joining the carrier and the actuator. The actuator has a body and a lens and is movable in a tracking direction and in a focus direction. The suspension elements extend substantially in an information direction orthogonal to the tracking direction and the focus direction and are arranged at opposite sides of the body in the tracking direction, where they are stacked at each side in focus direction. Each suspension element has two parts, where a first part is connected to the carrier and a second part is connected to the body of the actuator. According to the invention, the suspension elements are constituted as suspension wires, where each suspension wire is folded, where the first part and the second part are constituted as a first side and a second side of the folded suspension wire and where the both sides form an acute angle with each other.

Abstract: In an optical scanning device (10) capable of scanning an information plane of an optical record carrier (5) of different types such as BD, DVD and CD, the diameter of the radiation spot on the detector (7) is dependent on the numerical aperture of the objective system (4) that is used for scanning the record carrier An optimal design of the optical detection system for scanning a BD, result in a small radiation spot for the other types such as DVD and CD.