Patent ID: 6246652
Filing Date: 2001-06-12
Classification: B82Y,G11B,Y10S

Abstract:
A recording and reproducing or observing apparatus based on single laser beam deflection detection method, the apparatus comprising a probe attached to a first surface of a cantilever, a member with a plane facing said probe, and a rotation angle detector including:an objective lens for focusing parallel rays onto a focal point located on a second surface of said cantilever different from the first cantilever surface holding said probe;reflected light detecting means for detecting reflected light resulting form light that is incident on and reflected by said second surface at said focal point; andangle detecting means including a collimator lens, a polarizing beam splitter and a plurality of photo-diodes being operated differentially for detecting, from data about the reflected light detected, an angle between an optical axis of said parallel rays and said second surface of said cantilever;wherein the parallel rays from said collimator lens are incident upon said polarizing beam splitter.