Patent ID: 6594221
Filing Date: 2003-07-15
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
An optical pickup device comprising:an illuminating optical system for focusing a light beam, split in a main beam and at least one side beam, onto a track on an information storage surface of an optical storage medium to form optical spots thereon; a light detecting optical system for introducing return light reflected back from said information storage surface; and a polarizing optical element, having regions split at the center of an optical path by a parting line extending at least either in a direction of extension of said track or in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension and splitting the main beam return light at least in two for each of said regions, on a plane perpendicular to the optical path of the return light of the reflected main beam in said light detecting optical system, wherein said polarizing optical element is disposed where the return light of the main and side beams is spatially separated, and said optical pickup device further comprises an optical detector disposed in contact with said polarizing optical element, said optical detector having a plurality of main-beam light-receiving elements for receiving the separated main beam return light and a plurality of side-beam light-receiving elements for receiving the separated side beam return light.