Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Sanyo Optec Design Co., Ltd.

Masayuki Yoshie

Kenji Nagatomi

Shigeharu Shirane

Shinsei Kasahara

Masahito Ogata

An astigmatism element converges laser light in a first direction for generating a first focal line, and converges the laser light in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction for generating a second focal line. A light separating element guides the laser light entered into two first areas and into two second areas to four respective positions different from each other, and guides the laser light entered into a third area to a position different from the four positions. When an intersection of two straight lines extending in parallel to the first direction and the second direction and intersecting with each other is aligned with an optical axis of the laser light, the third area is disposed at the intersection of the two straight lines.

Optical pickup device and position adjusting method for light separating element

An astigmatism element converges laser light in a first direction for generating a first focal line, and converges the laser light in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction for generating a second focal line. A light separating element guides the laser light entered into two first areas and into two second areas to four positions different from each other. The light separating element imparts a light separating function to the laser light entered into the first two areas in directions identical to each other and with magnitudes different from each other, and imparts a light separating function to the laser light entered into the two second areas in directions identical to each other and with magnitudes different from each other.

Optical pickup device

An optical pickup device has an astigmatism element which imparts astigmatism to reflected light of laser light reflected on a recording layer, and a spectral element into which the reflected light is entered, and which separates the reflected light. The spectral element is divided into four third areas by a first area having a certain width and formed along a straight line in parallel to a first direction, and by a second area having a certain width and formed along a straight line in parallel to a second direction. The spectral element is configured to guide the reflected light passing through the four third areas to respective corresponding sensors on a photodetector while making propagating directions of the reflected light different from each other, and to avoid guiding the reflected light entered into the first area and into the second area to the sensors.

An optical pickup device has an astigmatism element which imparts astigmatism to reflected light of laser light reflected on a recording layer, and a spectral element into which the reflected light is entered, and which separates the reflected light. The spectral element is divided into six second areas by a straight line in parallel to a first direction, a straight line in parallel to a second direction, and a first area having a predetermined width and formed along a straight line in parallel to a third direction inclined from the first direction by 45 degrees. The spectral element is configured to guide the reflected light passing through the six second areas to corresponding sensors on a photodetector while making propagating directions of the reflected light different from each other, and to avoid guiding the reflected light entered into the first area to the sensors.

A spectral element separates first laser light in such a manner that an area including only signal light as reflected first laser light is formed on a photodetector. The photodetector is provided with a first sensor group which is disposed at an irradiation position of signal light of the separated first laser light, and a second sensor group which receives zero-th order diffraction light of a main beam and two sub beams of second laser light that has been transmitted through the spectral element. The second sensor group includes a four-divided sensor which receives the main beam. The four-divided sensor is disposed in an area surrounded by the first sensor group. Zero-th order diffraction light of the first laser light that has been transmitted through the spectral element is irradiated onto the four-divided sensor.

Growing community of inventors

Oizumi-machi, Japan

Masayuki Yoshie