Semiconductor laser device and optical pickup using the same

Abstract

A semiconductor laser device, with which a compact and thin optical pickup can be realized, is provided. On the top surface of a supporting member, there is formed an element mounting area for mounting a series of elements including a semiconductor laser element, and a light detecting element which detects a laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser element and reflected by a surface of an outside optical disc so as to be re-entered. An optical path from the semiconductor laser element to the surface of the optical disc includes a vertical optical path advancing from the element mounting area of the supporting member in an approximately vertical upward direction. On a pair of right and left opposing ends of the supporting member, arcuate curved outer surfaces are formed, respectively, so as to fit the supporting member into an installation hole, for a semiconductor laser device, having arcuate curved inner surfaces. These curved outer surfaces are formed of arcs having the vertical optical path as the central axes, and are so formed that the curvature radiuses of the right and left arcs are different.