Abstract: An optical information storage medium includes a light transmitting layer, a first information storage layer, an intermediate layer mainly made of resin, a second information storage layer, and a substrate. The light transmitting layer, the first information storage layer, the intermediate layer, the second information storage layer, and the substrate are layered in this order from a reproduction light incident side. Each of the first information storage layer and the second information storage layer includes: a light absorbing film that absorbs reproduction light to generate heat; and a reproduction film that is heated by the heat generated by the light absorbing film so as to reproduce a signal shorter in mark length than a resolution limit of an optical system of a reproducing apparatus.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus comprising: a diffraction grating including a first grating for diffracting a first laser light beam, and a second grating for diffracting a second laser light beam which is shorter in wavelength than the first laser light beam, the diffraction grating being disposed in a common optical path for guiding the first laser light beam and the second laser light beam to an optical disc; and a photo detector including in a first light receiving area, a main light receiving unit, a front sub-light receiving unit, and a rear sub-light receiving unit that receive reflected light beams, which are reflected by the optical disc, of a main beam, of a front sub-beam, and of a rear sub-beam, respectively, the first laser light beam being diffracted by the diffraction grating into the main beam, the front sub-beam formed in front of the main beam, and the rear sub-beam formed at the back of the main beam, wherein the first grating is set such that the front sub-light receiving unit and the rear sub

Abstract: An optical pickup unit is disclosed that comprises a first light-emitting element capable of emitting first-wavelength light; a second light-emitting element capable of emitting second-wavelength light whose wavelength is different from that of the first-wavelength light; a polarizing mirror transmitting or reflecting the first-wavelength light and reflecting the second-wavelength light; a first objective lens converging the first-wavelength light on a first medium; and a second objective lens converging the first-wavelength light or the second-wavelength light on a second medium.

Abstract: An optical recording/reproducing apparatus including a plurality of light sources emitting lights with different wavelengths for use in recording/reproducing information onto/from various types of optical recording media of different recording densities, in which at least two lights emitted from the light sources have polarization components orthogonal to each other; an objective lens for focusing a light from each of the light sources to a corresponding optical recording medium; a collimating lens disposed between the light sources and the objective lens for collimating lights from the light sources; a hologram element installed between the collimating lens and the objective lens for refracting a light emitted from one of the light sources, in which the light to be refracted is selected by wavelength and polarization components; and a photodetector receiving a light that is reflected from the corresponding optical recording medium after being focused by the objective lens.

Abstract: In an optical disk apparatus, transmittance and reflectance of a polarization beam splitter 13 to the S polarization and the P polarization of laser beams are adjusted so that a first polarization component level ratio in the laser beam received by a light receiver for reproducing signal 17 from a laser diode 11 via the polarization beam splitter 13, and a second polarization component level ratio in the laser beam received by a light receiver for monitoring light source 18 from the laser diode 11 via the polarization beam splitter 13 become equal or the difference between the first and the second polarization component level ratios becomes within a predetermined permissible range.

Abstract: An optical pickup includes a first optical system for collecting first laser light emitted from a first laser light source onto a first disk, and guiding reflected light from the first disk to a photoreceptor; a second optical system for collecting second laser light emitted from a second laser light source onto a second disk, and guiding reflected light from the second disk to a photoreceptor; a second objective lens for collecting the second laser light onto the second disk and receiving the reflected light from the second disk, the second objective lens being movable in a radial direction passing through the center of the second disk, and a first objective lens for collecting the first laser light onto the first disk and receiving the reflected light from the first disk, the first objective lens being disposed offset from the radial direction and adjacently to the second objective lens.

Abstract: A beam shaping module capable of receiving a polarized beam from a light source is disclosed, which comprises: a beam splitter, capable of splitting the polarized beam into a first beam and a second beam wherein the polarization directions of the first beam and the second beam are perpendicular to each other; and a beam combiner, capable of shaping and combining the first beam and the second beam; wherein the beam combiner is configured to reverse the energy distribution pattern of one of the first beam and the second beam.

Abstract: In recording of information, an information beam as S-polarization is incident on an optical information recording medium. After passing through the optical information recording medium, the information beam is reflected by reflection apparatus and passes through a polarization controller. In this process, the information beam undergoes S-polarization control and the polarization direction changes to P-polarization direction. The information beam interferes with a recording reference beam as P-polarization incident on a surface of the optical information recording medium inside the optical information recording medium to form an interference pattern. In reproduction of information, a reproduction reference beam is incident on the surface of the optical information recording medium. The reproduction reference beam is then diffracted by a refractive index grating caused by an interference pattern formed in the optical information recording medium to form a reproduction beam.

Abstract: An optical pickup housing an optical system including a collimator lens for converting laser light incident on the collimator lens into an approximately parallel light beam, and an objective lens for receiving the laser light converted into the approximately parallel light beam and focusing the laser light onto a recording medium, the optical pickup having a light source configured to emit a plurality of laser beams of different wavelengths; a magnification conversion element arranged between the collimator lens and the objective lens; a bypass optical path configured to bypass the magnification conversion element; and optical path selection unit configured to select, according to a wavelength of each of the plurality of laser beams, whether each of the plurality of laser beams is to pass through an optical path passing through the magnification conversion element or through the bypass optical path.

Abstract: It is intended to provide an optical disk apparatus which detects a light amount greater than zero even when used in conjunction with an optical disk substrate having a large birefringence, so that it is possible to properly read a signal without errors and properly perform optical disk controls. The optical disk apparatus includes: a light source for emitting light; an objective lens for converging the light onto a signal surface of an optical disk; a polarized beam diffraction element for diffracting the light reflected from the optical disk; a photodetector for detecting the light diffracted from the polarized beam diffraction element; and a wavelength plate disposed between the optical disk and the polarized beam diffraction element.

Abstract: An optical pickup free from tracking error signal variation when playing back a double-layered disc, and coping with incompatible optical discs, such as BDs and HD DVDs, includes a laser light source, a first polarization rotation element for rotating a polarization direction of an optical beam from the source, an optical branching element disposed in a position after the polarization rotation element to reflect or transmit an optical beam according to polarization of the beam, first and second object lenses for focusing the reflected and transmitted optical beams onto first and second optical discs, respectively, a photodetector for sensing reflected light from the first and second optical discs, and a second polarization rotation element disposed after reflection or transmission of the reflected light from the first and second optical discs conducted by the branching element, to rotate a polarization direction of the reflected light.

Abstract: A multiplexing optical system includes collimator lenses, a first condensing lens, a second condensing lens and an optical fiber. The collimator lenses collimate divergent laser beams that have been emitted from semiconductor lasers. The first condensing lens condenses laser beams transmitted through the collimator lenses in only one of a plane including the stripe width direction of the semiconductor lasers and a plane including a direction perpendicular to the stripe width direction. The second condensing lens condenses laser beams transmitted through the first condensing lens. The optical fiber is arranged in such a manner that the condensed laser beams enter the optical fiber. In the multiplexing optical system, an anamorphic lens is used as the second condensing lens, and the anamorphic lens condenses the laser beams in the two planes in cooperation with the first condensing lens.

Abstract: A laser light beam of a first wavelength which is polarized in a first polarizing direction, emitted from first and second semiconductor laser elements and reflected by an information recording surface of an optical recording medium, is made to be transmitted by a second polarizing hologram diffraction grating and diffracted in a direction toward a light receiving element by a first polarizing hologram diffraction grating. A laser light beam of a second wavelength which is polarized in the first polarizing direction, reflected by the information recording surface of the optical recording medium, is made to be converted so to be in a second polarizing direction by the 5?/4 plate. A laser light beam of the second wavelength which is polarized in the second polarizing direction is made to be diffracted in the direction toward the light emitting element by the second polarizing hologram diffraction grating.

Abstract: An optical scanning device for scanning an information layer (2) of an optical record carrier (3). The device includes a radiation source (7) for providing at least a first radiation beam of a first polarization along a first optical path, and a second radiation beam of a second, different polarization along a second, different optical path. An objective lens system, having an optical axis (19a), is arranged to converge the radiation beams on the information layer A beam-deflecting element (30) comprising a birefringent material is orientated such that each of said polarized radiation beams experiences a different index of refraction upon passing through the birefringent material, and is arranged to refract at least the first radiation beam towards the optical axis.

Abstract: Astigmatism of a beam of first laser light is cancelled at a position separated from first optical element by a predetermined distance on an optical axis of the beam of first laser light by refracting to transmit the beam of the first laser light by being refracted by rotating by a predetermined angle around an axis orthogonal to the optical axis of the beam of the first laser light, refracting a beam of second laser light to coincide with the optical axis of the beam of the first laser light and rotating by a predetermined angle around a second axis orthogonal thereto.

Abstract: An optical pickup includes a laser light source, an objective lens which focuses light emitted from the laser light source on an optical information storing medium, an optical path changer which changes a proceeding path of the light emitted from the laser light source, a polarization changer which changes the polarization of an incident light to make the polarization of light reflected by the optical information storing medium and reentering the laser light source different from that of the light emitted from the laser light source, so that noise generated due to interference by the light reflected by the optical information storing medium and reentering the laser light source is reduced, and a photodetector which receives incident light reflected by the optical information storing medium and sequentially passing through the objective lens and the optical path changer and detects an information signal and/or an error signal.

Abstract: A method of aligning an optical fiber according to the present invention has a first step of aligning an optical fiber by moving the optical fiber and finding a position that maximizes the power of beam outputted from the optical fiber with the use of a power meter, and a second step of moving and aligning the optical fiber in the optical axis direction (direction Z) from the position in which the optical fiber has been as a result of the alignment in the first step in a manner that makes the degree of polarization of two laser beams K1 and K2 equal to or lower than a given level with the use of a polarimeter.

Abstract: A polarizing beam splitter for separating an upstream beam from a downstream beam according to the polarization of an incident beam is provided between first and second light sources emitting laser beams at respective wavelength and an objective lens. A phase plate for providing a phase difference to a beam incident on the polarizing beam splitter is provided between the polarizing beam splitter and the light sources. A portion of the laser beam incident on the polarizing beam splitter is reflected by the polarizing beam splitter and caused to be incident on a photo-detecting unit, so as to prevent an unnecessary portion of the laser beam is incident on the photo-detecting unit. According to the invention, the laser beam is used efficiently and the cost of fabricating an optical disk apparatus is reduced by eliminating a need for a gain controlling circuit in the photo-detecting unit.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus includes: a first light source for emitting a first light flux; a light-converging optical system including an objective lens and a diffractive structure. When the first light flux from an optical information recording medium enters into the diffractive structure, the diffractive structure emits a main light flux and a secondary light flux. The optical pickup apparatus further includes: a first optical element including a first optical area and a second optical area; a second optical element including a third optical area and a fourth optical area; a light-converging element for converging the main light flux at a position between the first optical element and second optical element; a polarization splitting optical member for splitting the main light flux and the secondary light flux each emitted from the first optical element and second optical element; and a photodetector for receiving the main light flux.

Abstract: A compatible optical pickup includes an optical disc, an objective lens, a diffractive device, and a divergent lens. The optical unit emits a short wavelength light beam corresponding to a high density optical disc and a long wavelength light beam corresponding to a low density optical disc. The objective lens forms a light spot on the high density optical disc and the low density optical disc and the diffractive device diffracts the short wavelength light beam to correct chromatism according to a change in a wavelength of the short wavelength light beam. The divergent lens refracts the long wavelength light beam toward the objective lens to increase a working distance with respect to the low density optical disc.

Abstract: A device for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media 10, on which information is present in the form of pits, with a linearly polarized light beam 2. A device for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media 10 which ensures correct reproduction of the stored data even when the recording medium influences the polarization of the light beam 2.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to allow the use of a practical light source to record information in each information recording area of a recording medium having a plurality of information recording areas through the use of holography while moving the recording medium. When recording information in the information recording areas (7) of the recording medium, the irradiating position (101) of information light and recording-specific reference light is moved such that the irradiating position (101) follows a single moving information recording area (7) for a predetermined period. Consequently, the single information recording area (7) keeps being irradiated with the information light and the recording-specific reference light for the predetermined period. Information is thus recorded in this information recording area (7) in the form of an interference pattern as a result of interference between the information light and the recording-specific reference light.

Abstract: A compatible optical pickup for recording and/or reproducing information on/from multiple kinds of optical discs having different thicknesses by selectively using source lights of respective different wavelengths corresponding to a kind of disc and using a common objective lens. At least one phase compensator, which compensates a phase of a light having a particular wavelength to correct for spherical aberration due to a thickness difference between the kinds of optical discs and/or chromatic aberration due to a wavelength difference between the required source lights, is positioned between the source lights and an entrance pupil of the objective lens. Each phase compensator compensates light of at least one wavelength and passes light of at least one other wavelength without significant relative phase alteration. By using two phase compensators, the optical pickup may be made compatible with at least three kinds of optical discs.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus for performing recording, reproduction and deletion of information onto each of three types of optical recording mediums including light sources of a blue wavelength zone, light sources of a red wavelength zone and light sources of an infrared wavelength zone. The optical pickup apparatus also has a single object lens which condenses a light from any of the light sources and a single aberration correction device disposed in a common light path between each of the light sources and the object lens.

Abstract: An optical pickup is provided for recording and reproduction of information onto and from an optical disk. In the optical disk, in a forward optical path, a single polarized optical beam is converted to plural polarized optical beams. Polarization modes of the plural polarized optical beams are then converted to a polarization mode suitable for one of the recording and the reproduction to produce polarization-converted optical beams and to radiate the polarization-converted optical beams to the disk. In the backward optical path, polarization modes of the polarization-converted optical beams reflected from the disk are returned to the same polarization mode as that of the plural polarized optical beams, so that plural polarized reflected optical beams are produced. Polarization modes of the plural polarized reflected optical beams are then returned to the same polarization mode as the single polarized optical mode.

Abstract: An optical pickup device includes an objective lens (2), with a numerical aperture (NA) being not less than 1, having a solid immersion lens (1) which is made up by a spherical portion (1a) and a flat portion (1b) parallel to a surface (101a) of an optical disc (101). The component of the reflected light from the optical disc in the polarized state perpendicular to the polarized state of the reflected light which prevails when the distance between the surface of the optical disc and the flat portion of the solid immersion lens is zero is detected. The so detected light intensity is associated with the distance between the optical disc surface and the solid immersion lens to accurately detect the minute gap between the optical disc and the solid immersion lens.

Abstract: An optical pickup can be provided, the optical pickup being capable of recording and playback of a plurality of optical disks having different specs by using light beams of different wavelengths, and further being suitable for integrating the semiconductor lasers and light receiving elements into a single package, by including: first and second semiconductor lasers adjacently disposed; a three-beam diffraction grating for generating three beams for tracking control; a second hologram element for diffracting light of the second semiconductor laser to guide it to a photosensor; a complex polarization beam splitter (PBS) for reflecting only light from the first semiconductor laser; and a first hologram element for diffracting light of the first semiconductor laser to guide it to the photosensor.

Abstract: A polarizing beam splitter for separating an upstream beam from a downstream beam according to the polarization of an incident beam is provided between first and second light sources emitting laser beams at respective wavelength and an objective lens. A phase plate for providing a phase difference to a beam incident on the polarizing beam splitter is provided between the polarizing beam splitter and the light sources. A portion of the laser beam incident on the polarizing beam splitter is reflected by the polarizing beam splitter and caused to be incident on a photo-detecting unit, so as to prevent an unnecessary portion of the laser beam is incident on the photo-detecting unit. According to the invention, the laser beam is used efficiently and the cost of fabricating an optical disk apparatus is reduced by eliminating a need for a gain controlling circuit in the photo-detecting unit.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for recording and reproducing optical information using holography is designed to provide a small configuration and to improve the S/N ratio of reproduced information. During recording, a phase spatial light modulator generates information light spatially modulated in phase based on information to be recorded, and recording-specific reference light, that irradiate an information recording layer of an optical recording medium to record the information in the form of an interference pattern, resulting from interference between the information light and the recording-specific reference light. During reproduction, reproduction-specific reference light irradiates the information recording layer to generate reproduction light which is superimposed on the reproduction-specific reference light to generate composite light. The composite light is detected by a photodetector to reproduce the information.

Abstract: An optical pickup unit includes first and second light sources of first and second wavelengths, respectively, a dichroic element, a phase plate, and an objective lens. One of the first and second light sources is selected so that information recording or reproduction is performed by converging a light beam emitted from the selected one of the first and second light sources on an optical recording medium via the dichroic element, the phase plate, and the objective lens.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus for reading and recording information on recording media includes a semiconductor laser, a collimating lens, a half mirror, a reflecting mirror, and an objective lens. Further included therein are a super-resolution cutoff filter and an aperture control filter, one of which is appropriately selected and set right before the objective lens by a filter switching-over device. When reading the DVD, the super-resolution cutoff filter is set at the optical path, whereas when reading the CD, the aperture control filter is set thereat. The filter switching device is arranged separately from an actuator driving system having the objective lens integrally structured therewith.

Abstract: An optical pickup comprising: a diffraction grating, a beam splitter and laser beam guiding optical components that change direction of laser beams, which are placed on a light path constituted by a semiconductor laser that emits dual wavelength laser beams and an information recording surface of an optical disk, wherein a wavelength plate is provided on a light path between said diffraction grating and said semiconductor laser so that a laser beam irradiated on the recording surface of said optical disk becomes an elliptically polarized (including circularly polarized) beam or a beam having a polarizing plane that produces an angle of 30–60 degrees relative to a radius direction.

Abstract: A liquid crystal element is provided as a polarization plane rotating device between a laser beam source and a beam splitter. Light emitted from the laser beam source passes through the liquid crystal element and the beam splitter, and is converted into parallel light by a collimating lens. The collimated light is incident on a first light-selection device, is reflected at a flat first reflecting surface or a concave second reflecting surface, and is then incident on a super-resolution cut-off filter as a second light-selection device. The light having passed through the second light-selection device is incident on an objective lens, and is converged onto a recording surface. The selection of the reflecting surface of the first light-selection device is determined based on an operation mode of the liquid crystal element.

Abstract: In an optical head apparatus including a first light source for emitting a first light beam having a first wavelength, a second light source for emitting a second light beam having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, an objective lens, a photodetector, and first and second optical combining/splitting elements, the first optical combining/splitting element receives the first light beam from the first light source to outgo most of the first light beam therefrom to the second optical combining/splitting element and receives the first and second light beams from the second optical combining/splitting element to outgo most of the first and second light beams therefrom to the photodetector.

Abstract: An optical pickup device for focusing a light beam includes a focus error detecting optical element which splits and leads return light to a photodetector. The focus error detecting element has an area quadrisected by two division lines defining a plane substantially perpendicular to the optical path of the return light for applying astigmatism to the return light in directions rotated by 90° from each other and for separating the return light into at least four by the respective quadrants. The photodetector has a plurality of spaced light receiving elements for receiving the separated return light, each receiving element has contour lines corresponding to the division lines on an image plane on which a light beam is shaped into a circular beam. The light receiving elements are comprised of two light receiving areas divided by a bisect line extending substantially in parallel with one of the contour lines.

Abstract: In an optical head device for recording/reproducing information on/from an optical recording medium, at least one laser light source emits a laser light beam provided with a first polarized light component and a second polarized light component which are perpendicular to each other. A plurality of optical elements transmit a return light beam reflected by the optical recording medium passes to the light receiving element. A transmission efficiency for the first polarized light component and a transmission efficiency for the second polarized light component in each optical element is made different. A total transmission efficiency for the first polarized light component and a total transmission efficiency for the second polarized light component, which are defined by the respective transmission efficiencies of all the optical elements, are made substantially identical.

Abstract: In an optical head apparatus, reflected light from the disk is diffracted by a hologram optical element, and received by an optical detector. A focusing error signal is detected from ?1st-order diffracted light of the hologram optical element. A tracking error signal by the differential phase method, a tracking error signal by a push-pull method and the data signal recorded on the disk are detected from +1st-order diffracted light of the hologram optical element. A diffraction efficiency of the +1st-order diffracted light is higher than a diffraction efficiency of the ?1st-order diffracted light.

Abstract: There are provided an information write device and an information read device enabling to generate highly accurate contrast signals. When a main light spot Pc is located at the center of the a groove G, the light spot Pc and sub light spots Psa, Psb are each adapted to radiate a disc DSC such that the sub light spots Psa, Psb radiate positions displaced from the center of the land L. The reflected beams of light from the disc DSC caused by the radiation with the light spots Pc, Psa, Psb are detected to generate push-pull signals each corresponding to the light spots Pc, Psa, Psb, respectively, in accordance with each of the detected signals. Furthermore, a signal to be obtained by amplifying an addition signal, given by adding the push-pull signals each corresponding to the sub light spots Psa, Psb, with a predetermined amplification factor K/n, and a push-pull signal corresponding to the main light spot Pc are added to thereby generate a contrast signal.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus used in an optical data recording/reproducing apparatus for reading/reproducing data on an optical recording medium, including a light source, a diffracting device configured to transmit a light beam and to diffract a light beam reflected from the optical recording medium, an optical device having a reflecting portion and a transmitting portion configured to reflect one part of the light beam emitted from the light source and to transmit another part of the light beam to the optical recording medium and from the optical recording medium, and a photodetecting device to detect the light beam from the optical recording medium for signal light detection, and the light beam reflected by the reflecting portion of the optical device for monitor light detection of the light source.

Abstract: An optical pickup can be provided, the optical pickup being capable of recording and playback of a plurality of optical disks having different specs by using light beams of different wavelengths, and further being suitable for integrating the semiconductor lasers and light receiving elements into a single package, by including: first and second semiconductor lasers adjacently disposed; a three-beam diffraction grating for generating three beams for tracking control; a second hologram element for diffracting light of the second semiconductor laser to guide it to a photosensor; a complex polarization beam splitter (PBS) for reflecting only light from the first semiconductor laser; and a first hologram element for diffracting light of the first semiconductor laser to guide it to the photosensor.

Abstract: A lensless optical servo system has an unfocused light source and patterned photodetectors. The unfocused light is reflected by markings on a rotating disk and the reflected light carriers the pattern of the markings to the photodetectors. The convolution of this light pattern and a mating geometric pattern on the photodetectors causes the photodetectors to generate signals representing the position of the track on the disk. In one embodiment, a laser diode and three detectors are formed on the same silicon substrate. Sinusoidal metalization is applied to the detectors in the radial direction. The period of the sinusoidal metalization is two times the tracking pitch of the disk. The metalization on the first detector is approximately ninety degrees behind the metalization on the second detector and the metalization on the third detector is approximately ninety degrees ahead of the metalization on the second detector.

Abstract: A beam splitting apparatus generates, from incident light having a specific polarization, first and second split light that has the specific polarization.

Abstract: The present invention includes a frame, an optical pick-up module fixed to the frame and a circuit board forming a control circuit fixed to the frame. The frame has fixing parts to other members.

Abstract: In an optical pickup device for emitting at least two laser beams suitable for respective optical recording mediums selectively operated on an optical disk driver so that a signal is read out from and/or recorded onto the selected one of the optical recording mediums, an anamorphic system is arranged to change a cross-sectional shape of one of the laser beams from an oval toward a circle between a divergence point and a confluence point along the one of the laser beam between an upstream common optical paths of the laser beams from the light beam source and a downstream common optical paths of the laser beams toward the objective lens, at which divergence point the laser beams from the upstream common optical path diverge from each other, and at which confluence point the laser beams converge into the downstream common optical path.

Abstract: An optical head is provided so as to include one prism having a wavelength separation function for reducing the number of steps for adjustment. The optical head includes a first light source, a second light source, a third light source and a beam splitter. The beam splitter includes a first prism, a second prism, a third prism, a fourth prism, a first optical film, a second optical film, a third optical film and a fourth optical film. The first to the fourth optical films have desired optical characteristics for allowing the light beam from the first light source that enters into the first prism and has a first wavelength, the light beam from the second light source that enters into the second prism and has a second wavelength and the light beam from the third light source that enters into the third prism and has a third wavelength to pass through or for reflecting these light beams.

Abstract: An optical element is for use in an optical pickup apparatus which comprises first, second and third light source having a wavelength &lgr;1, &lgr;2 (&lgr;1<&lgr;2), and &lgr;3 (1.6·&lgr;1≦&lgr;3≦2.0·&lgr;1 and &lgr;2<&lgr;3) and a light converging system including the optical element. The light converging system converges a light flux from the first light source onto a first optical information recording medium through a protective layer having a thickness t1, converges a light flux from the second light source onto a second optical information recording medium through a protective layer having a thickness t2 (0.8·t1≦t2≦1.2·t1), and converges a light flux from the third light source onto a third optical information recording medium through a protective layer having a thickness t3 (1.9·t1≦t3≦2.1·t1).

Abstract: An optical head apparatus is provided with a first laser element, a second laser element and a polarized beam splitter. The first laser element emits a laser beam having a first wavelength. The second laser element emits a laser beam having a second wavelength. The second wavelength may be equivalent to the first wavelength, alternatively, it may be different from the first wavelength. The polarized beam splitter enables the laser beams of the first and second laser elements to be simultaneously radiated to the recording layer of an optical disk. When information are recorded in the optical disk, the laser beams of the first and second laser elements are used at the same time. At least one of the laser elements emits a laser beam having such a wavelength as enables the recording layer of the optical disk to absorb the largest possible amount of energy.

Abstract: An optical pickup using a two-wavelength light source module includes a light source module, a collimating lens, and a first optical element. The light source module includes first and second light sources which emit first and second light beams of different wavelengths and are formed in a single package. The collimating lens directs the first and/or second light beams into convergent light or divergent light so that the convergent light or the divergent light is incident on the objective lens. The optical pickup is a finite optical system due to the collimating lens. The first optical element is disposed on the traveling paths of the first and second light beams, operates as a lens only for one of the first and second light beams, and corrects a position difference between the first and second light sources along a traveling direction of light.

Abstract: An optical head reproduces optical disks of different disk plate thickness t1 (0.6 mm) or t2 (1.2 mm) by using light beams of two wavelengths and one object lens. An converging element comprises a central portion and outer portion, wherein the central portion has optimum design plate thickness of 0.6*t1 to t1 and the outer portion has optimum design plate thickness of 0.6 mm. By providing a step difference in the converging element, information can be recorded or reproduced for an information medium of disk plate thickness t1 and for an information medium of disk plate thickness t2, in a state having small side lobes. Alternatively, a step difference is provided in the object lens, and optical distance L2 from a second light source to a condensing optical system is set to 80 to 95% of optical distance L1 from a first light source to the condensing optical system. Alternatively, only light of first wavelength is shielded or diffracted in a ring-like shape.

Abstract: A light source for generating light beams, a diffraction grating for splitting the light beam emitted from the light source into at least three light beams, and an objective lens for receiving the reflecting light beams from the recording medium, the magnification of the objective lens being −6.0 to less than −12.0, make up a collimatorless optical system. The reflecting light beams emanating from the objective lens are split by a beam splitter, these split light beams are each split into at least three light beams by a Wollaston prism, and are incident on a photo detecting element. A tracking error signal, a focusing error signal, and a magneto-optical signal are generated using the light beams received by the photo detecting element. The beam splitter and the Wollaston prism may be substituted by a multifunctional Wollaston prism. If the nine split light beams are all received by the photo detecting element, the signals produced by the photo detecting element are large in amplitude.