Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Tetsuo Saeki

Masaru Ogawa

A device for exciting surface plasmons includes a light illuminating source, a transparent substrate having a ridge, a metal layer covering side surfaces of the ridge and their neighboring region, and a thin metal film formed on a top face of the ridge. Evanescent waves caused by light emitted from the light illuminating source and transmitted through the transparent substrate and the thin metal film can excite surface plasmons in the thin metal film.

Surface plasmon excitation device and microscope including the same

An optical pickup apparatus includes a light source and a light detector provided on a stem for detecting source emitted light reflected by an optical recording medium; and a light separating device, having first and second areas, for separating light incident thereon into a plurality of light components respectively directed in prescribed directions. The light detector includes a light receiver, divided into first and second light receiving regions for receiving the light components detected by those first and second areas. The first and second light receiving regions are located in a predetermined orientation determined in part by a light emitting point of the light source and a focal point on the light detector. The stem material and the wavelength emitted by the light source are selected to limit movement of that focal point in that orientation in response to temperature change of the apparatus.

Optical head with passive temperature compensation

There can be obtained a miniaturized, 3-beam optical pickup device using a polarization separating prism of an inexpensive material and capable of reliably detecting light of a signal. The present pickup device includes an optical element having the first, second and third members, and having a first boundary surface receiving light from a semiconductor laser and reflecting and directing it toward a collimator lens, and also transmitting light reflected by an MO disc and directing it toward a photodetector, and a second boundary surface separating polarized light of light transmitted through the first boundary surface.

Growing community of inventors

Ibaraki, Japan

Tetsuo Saeki