Recording/reproducing optical head producing focusing error signal from

Abstract

A recording/reproducing optical head capable of causing a light spot on a photodetector for detecting a focusing error signal to stand still without being affected by variations in wavelength of light used, capable of adjusting a tracking error signal independently of the focusing error signal, and capable of utilizing light having an order of diffraction of -1 for the purpose of detecting a signal, in which a cylindrical lens for generating astigmatism and a diffraction grating made up of two regions different in the direction of diffraction or the angle of diffraction from each other are interposed between a beam splitter and a photodetector, a light beam diffracted from the diffraction grating and including the diffracted light of the zero-th order (that is, light which has passed through the diffraction grating without being deflected) is received by the photodetector, the diffracted light of the zero-th order is used for detecting a focusing error signal according to the astigmatism method, and diffracted light having an order of diffraction of +1 and diffracted light having an order of diffraction of -1 are used for detecting a tracking error signal.