Optical recording/reproducing apparatus capable of recording/reproducing information onto/from various types of optical recording media of different recording densities and different thicknesses

Abstract

An optical recording/reproducing apparatus including a plurality of light sources emitting lights with different wavelengths for use in recording/reproducing information onto/from various types of optical recording media of different recording densities, in which at least two lights emitted from the light sources have polarization components orthogonal to each other; an objective lens for focusing a light from each of the light sources to a corresponding optical recording medium; a collimating lens disposed between the light sources and the objective lens for collimating lights from the light sources; a hologram element installed between the collimating lens and the objective lens for refracting a light emitted from one of the light sources, in which the light to be refracted is selected by wavelength and polarization components; and a photodetector receiving a light that is reflected from the corresponding optical recording medium after being focused by the objective lens.