Focus error detecting apparatus of optical pickup with a light separating and astigmatism generation optical element and detection method thereof

Abstract

A focus error detecting apparatus and a focus error detecting method of an optical pickup in which the system is not easily influenced by track transversal noises and an optical disc thickness error and which can be used together with a 3-beam system or a DPD system. The return light from an optical disc is divided to a first optical path and a second optical path by a hologram device, a predetermined astigmatism is applied to the light on each divided optical path, the light is received and detected by a first detector and a second detector, and a focusing error signal is obtained by predetermined arithmetic operations. The return light from the optical disc is divided to the first optical path P and the second optical path P by a lens device constructed by combining eccentric cylindrical lenses, a predetermined astigmatism is applied to the light on each divided optical path, the light is received and detected by a first detector and a second detector each having photosensing portions divided into four portions by dividing lines having a lightning shape, and a focusing error signal is obtained by predetermined arithmetic operations.