U.S. Philips Corporation

Peter De Zoeten

Willem G Opheij

Peter Coops

Albert Smid

Adrianus J Duijvestijn

Dirk C Van Eck

An optical scanning apparatus, which includes a radiation source (7) supplying a scaning beam (b.sub.1), an objective system (8) for focusing the scanning beam (b.sub.1) to a scanning spot (S.sub.1) in an information plane (2) to be scanned, and a first diffraction element (9) for deforming the beam reflected by the informatin plane (2) in such a way that a focus-error signal can be derived therefrom. The apparatus also includes a second diffraction element (10) for forming two auxiliary beams (b.sub.2, b.sub.3) by means of which a tracking-error signal can be derived, which second diffraction element has such a size and is arranged at such position that the beams originating from the first diffraction element (9) do not traverse the second diffraction element.

Apparatus for optically scanning an information plane

A scanning device is described which comprises a rotationally symmetrical rotating reflecting facet disc (3) in which a scanning beam (2, 2') is focussed on a face (5, 6) of the facet elements (4). The sensitivity of the device to surface defects or dust particles on the faces of the facet elements can be reduced by means of a first astigmatic element (20) which widens the beam (2') issuing from the detector (10) at the location of the facet disc in a direction transverse to the scanning direction (18), while a second astigmatic element (21) cancels the astigmatism of the first element.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Peter De Zoeten