Light focusing optical system, optical pickup device and optical recording and reproducing device using the same, as well as light focusing method

A light focusing optical system focuses light, for recording to and/or reproducing from a plurality of optical recording media of different kinds, onto the recording media by using a diffraction element and lens. The diffraction element has at least first and second diffractive surfaces. The first diffractive surface diffracts light whose wavelength is 630 nm or more and 670 nm or less to perform aberration correction on an optical recording medium whose cover layer has a thickness of approximately 0.6 mm. The second diffractive surface diffracts light whose wavelength is 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less to perform aberration correction on an optical recording medium whose cover layer has a thickness of approximately 0.1 mm or approximately 0.6 mm.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention contains subject matter related to Japanese Patent Application JP 2004-213595 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Jul. 21, 2004, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a light focusing optical system having so-called compatibility in which light for recording to and/or reproducing from a plurality of optical recording media of different kinds is focused onto the optical recording media by using a diffraction element and lens, and particularly relates to a light focusing optical system capable of excellently performing aberration correction on the plurality of recording media of different kinds, and to an optical pickup device and optical recording and reproducing device using this light focusing optical system.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, optical recording media of various types having different recoding densities have been developed, and in case of a disk-shaped optical recording medium, for example, those such as a CD (Compact Disk) using a wavelength of laser light around 780 nm, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) using a wavelength thereof around 660 nm, a BD (Blu-ray Disc) using a wavelength thereof around 405 nm, and similarly a HD DVD (High Definition DVD) and AOD (Advanced Optical Disk) using a wavelength around 405 nm, for example, can be mentioned.

In these optical recording media, structures thereof differ from each other, and particularly a thickness of a cover portion on the side irradiated with light, that is, the thickness of a substrate and cover layer differs.

In order to obtain a configuration having compatibility for recording to and/or reproducing from such optical recording media of plural kinds in one optical recording and reproducing device, it is necessary to correct optical aberration in the optical system in consideration of such differences in the thickness of the cover portion and in the wavelength of the irradiated light.

For this purpose, a plurality of objective lenses suitable for respective optical recording media may be provided without difficulties (for example, refer to Patent reference 1).

In a method disclosed in the above-described Patent reference 1, as an optical system having compatibility between a DVD and CD, the one in which two objective lenses suitable for the DVD and CD respectively are installed in one bobbin of a biaxial actuator has been put into a practical use.

However, when a plurality of objective lenses are installed, the biaxial actuator becomes large and there is a disadvantage in the aspects of high-speed operation and miniaturization of an optical system.

Then, a method for recording to and reproducing from a plurality of optical recording media of different kinds by using one objective lens has been proposed.

In an optical recording and reproducing device having the compatibility between the DVD and CD, the aberration caused by the differences in the thickness of the cover portion and in the wavelength is corrected by using a diffractive lens (for example, refer to the Patent reference 2).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, with the BD and HD DVD being put into practical use, it has been desired to obtain an objective lens with which even the BD and HD DVD become compatible in addition to the DVD and CD. However, the BD has a cover portion whose thickness is approximately ⅙ the thickness of a cover portion of a DVD, and the wavelength for the BD is around 405 nm which is short. Further, a numerical aperture NA of the objective lens becomes large correspondingly to the BD, and a working distance WD of a lens which moves between an objective lens and a surface of an optical recording medium is typically short. Furthermore, in the BD, a difference in the amount of spherical aberration from that of the DVD and CD becomes enormously large. Here, the spherical aberration is typically obtained from the following formula.
Spherical aberration=NA4×d/λNA=Numerical Apertured=Thickness of Cover Layerλ=Wavelength

Accordingly, a method of using an objective lens in combination with a diffraction grating has also been studied; however, a practical use thereof is difficult due to such a reason that a pitch of the diffraction grating is considerably minute to the extent of 5 μm.

Moreover, in the BD, it is necessary to make a lens larger in order to enlarge the working distance WD, and as a result there is such an inconvenience that a focal length becomes large and the chromatic aberration increases.

The present invention is proposed in view of the above-described problems, and it is desirable to obtain compatibility between the BD or HD DVD and the DVD and CD by means of a configuration including one objective lens and a diffraction grating in a light focusing optical system having an objective lens that is used in combination with a diffraction grating.

A light focusing optical system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a diffraction element and lens with which light for recording to and/or reproducing from a plurality of optical recording media of different kinds is focused onto the optical recording media, in which the diffraction element has at least first and second diffractive surfaces; the first diffractive surface diffracts light whose wavelength is 630 nm or more and 670 nm or less to perform aberration correction on an optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has a thickness of approximately 0.6 mm; and the second diffractive surface diffracts light whose wavelength is 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less to perform aberration correction on an optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has a thickness of approximately 0.1 mm or approximately 0.6 mm.

Further, in the above-described light focusing optical system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the second diffractive surface has positive surface power.

Further, in the above-described light focusing optical system according to an embodiment of the present invention, a diffraction grating is provided on a boundary surface where materials having different wavelength dependence in a refractive index are joined to form the second diffractive surface.

Further, in the above-described light focusing optical system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the diffraction grating is formed by joining first and second elements.

Further, in the above-described light focusing optical system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the light focusing optical system including the diffraction element is provided with at least one aspheric surface having negative refractive power.

Further, in the above-described light focusing optical system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the aspheric surface having the negative refractive power is provided on the light source side of the first and second diffractive surfaces.

Furthermore, an optical pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention has a light focusing optical system in which light for recording to and/or reproducing from a plurality of optical recording media of different kinds is focused onto the recording media, including: a light source that emits light, a diffraction element on which the light emitted from the light source is incident, and a lens that focuses light from the diffraction element toward the optical recording medium, in which the diffraction element has at least first and second diffractive surfaces; the first diffractive surface diffracts light whose wavelength is 630 nm or more and 670 nm or less to perform aberration correction on an optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has a thickness of approximately 0.6 mm; and the second diffractive surface diffracts light whose wavelength is 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less to perform aberration correction on an optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has a thickness of approximately 0.1 mm or approximately 0.6 mm.

Furthermore, an optical recording and reproducing device according to an embodiment of the present invention has at least a light focusing optical system in which light for recording to and/or reproducing from a plurality of optical recording media of different kinds is focused onto the optical recording media including: a light source that emits light, a diffraction element on which the light emitted from the light source is incident, and a lens that focuses light from the diffraction element toward the optical recording medium, in which the diffraction element has at least first and second diffractive surfaces; the first diffractive surface diffracts light whose wavelength is 630 nm or more and 670 nm or less to perform aberration correction on an optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has a thickness of approximately 0.6 mm; and the second diffractive surface diffracts light whose wavelength is 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less to perform aberration correction on an optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has a thickness of approximately 0.1 mm or approximately 0.6 mm.

Moreover, A method of focusing light for recording to and/or reproducing from a plurality of optical recording media of different kinds onto the optical recording media by using a diffraction element and lens according to an embodiment of the present invention, includes the steps of: providing the diffraction element with at least first and second diffractive surfaces, the first diffractive surface diffracting light whose wavelength is 630 nm or more and 670 nm or less to perform aberration correction on an optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has a thickness of approximately 0.6 mm; and the second diffractive surface diffracting light whose wavelength is 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less to perform aberration correction on an optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has a thickness of approximately 0.1 mm or approximately 0.6 mm.

As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the first and second diffractive surfaces are provided as the diffraction element used in the light focusing optical system, the light whose wavelength is from 630 to 670 nm is diffracted by the first diffractive surface to perform the aberration correction on the optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has the thickness of approximately 0.6 mm, that is, to perform the aberration correction on the optical recording medium corresponding to the DVD, the light whose wavelength is from 400 to 415 nm is diffracted by the second diffractive surface to perform the aberration correction on the optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has the thickness of approximately 0.1 mm or 0.6 mm, that is, to perform the aberration correction on the recording medium corresponding to the BD or HD DVD (including AOD), and so the aberration correction for DVD and for BD and HD DVD can be performed excellently by the light focusing optical system having one objective lens and an optical pickup device and an optical recording and reproducing device having the compatibility can be obtained.

As explained above, according to an embodiment of the light focusing optical system of the present invention, there is such effectiveness that the recording and/or reproduction is performed by using the light whose wavelength is 630 nm or more and 670 nm or less to perform the aberration correction excellently on the optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has the thickness of approximately 0.6 mm; and the recording and/or reproduction is preformed by using the light whose wavelength is 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less to perform the aberration correction excellently also on the recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has the thickness of approximately 0.1 mm or 0.6 mm.

Further, according to an embodiment of the light focusing optical system of the present invention, the second diffractive surface is configured to have the positive surface power, and so the recording and/or reproduction is performed by using the light whose wavelength is 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less, and the chromatic aberration can be corrected excellently in the optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has the thickness of approximately 0.1 mm or 0.6 mm.

Further, according to an embodiment of the light focusing optical system of the present invention, since a diffraction grating is provided on a boundary surface where materials having different wavelength dependence in a refractive index are joined to form the second diffractive surface, the light focusing optical system can be miniaturized to be thin.

Further, according to an embodiment of the light focusing optical system of the present invention, since the diffraction grating is formed by joining first and second elements, the light focusing optical system can be miniaturized to be thin.

Further, according to an embodiment of the light focusing optical system of the present invention, the light focusing optical system including the diffraction element is provided with at least one aspheric surface having negative refractive power, so that a focal position can be adjusted excellently with respect to an optical recording medium on which recording and/or reproduction is performed by using light having a longer wavelength than the wavelength of 670 nm and a configuration having compatibility with a greater variety of optical recording media can be obtained.

Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the light focusing optical system of the present invention, since the aspheric surface having the negative refractive power is provided on the light source side of the first and second diffractive surfaces, the refractive power is distributed over the first and second diffractive surfaces and this aspheric surface having the negative refractive power, and so design flexibility further increases and a decrease in aberration correction accuracy can be controlled.

Moreover, according to an embodiment of the optical pickup device and the optical recording and reproducing device of the present invention, it is possible to provide the optical pickup device and the optical recording and reproducing device capable of excellently performing the aberration correction on both of the optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has the thickness of approximately 0.6 mm, to which the recording and/or reproduction is performed by using the light whose wavelength is the wavelength of 630 nm or more and 670 nm or less, and the optical recoding medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has the thickness of approximately 0.1 mm or 0.6 mm, to which the recording and/or reproduction is performed by using the light whose wavelength is 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less.

Furthermore, according to an embodiment of a method of focusing light for recording to and/or reproducing from a plurality of optical recording media of different kinds onto the optical recording media by using a diffraction element and lens, the aberration correction can be performed excellently on both of the optical recording medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has the thickness of approximately 0.6 mm, to which the recording and/or reproduction is performed by using the light whose wavelength is the wavelength of 630 nm or more and 670 nm or less, and the optical recoding medium whose cover layer on which light is incident has the thickness of approximately 0.1 mm or 0.6 mm, to which the recording and/or reproduction is performed by using the light whose wavelength is 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment for carrying out the present invention is explained hereinafter, however the present invention is not limited to the following example.

First, an example of an optical recording and reproducing device and optical pickup device suitably applied to the present invention is explained by referring to schematic constitutional diagrams ofFIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown inFIG. 1, an optical recording and reproducing device100includes an outer case102in which each member and each mechanism required are disposed, and an insertion slot for a disk-shaped optical recording medium10, for example, is provided in this outer case102though not illustrated.

Further, a spindle motor, for example, to move the optical recording medium10is installed in a chassis (not illustrated) disposed inside the outer case102, and a disk table103, for example, is fixed to a shaft of this motor.

On the chassis, parallel guide shafts104aand104bare installed, and a lead screw105rotated by a feed motor, which is not illustrated, is supported.

An optical pickup device40of this optical recording and reproducing device100includes a moving base107, necessary optical parts provided on this moving base107, and an objective lens drive unit108disposed on the moving base107, and bearing portions107aand107bprovided at both end portions of the moving base107are supported by the guide shafts104aand104b, respectively, in a manner of sliding freely. The objective lens drive unit108has a movable portion108aand a fixed portion108b, and the movable portion108ais supported by the fixed portion108bin a manner of moving freely through a suspension not illustrated in the figure. A nut member, not illustrated, provided with the moving base107is meshed with the lead screw105, and when the lead screw105is rotated by the feed motor, the nut member is forwarded in a direction in accordance with a rotational direction of the lead screw105, so that the optical pickup device40is movable in the radial direction of the optical recording medium10loaded on the disc table103.

In the optical recording and reproducing device100of such configuration, when the disk table103is rotated in accordance with a rotation of the spindle motor, the optical recording medium10loaded on this disk table103, that is a BD, DVD, CD, HD DVD, or the like, is rotated, and at the same time, the optical pickup device40is moved in the radial direction of the optical recording medium10by the above-described mechanism to be capable of moving and facing the whole recording surface of the optical recording medium10and a recording operation or reproducing operation is performed at a predetermined track position. At this time, the movable portion108aof the objective lens drive unit108is moved with respect to the fixed portion108b, and a focusing adjustment and tracking adjustment of an objective lens, described later on, which is provided in the movable portion108ais performed.

As an optical recording medium10used for the optical recording and reproducing device100and optical pickup device40according to the present invention, a BD10A, a DVD10B, a CD10C, a HD DVD10D, and the like, for example, can be mentioned as shown inFIG. 2. As to wavelengths of laser light used for these optical recording media10, the DVD10B uses laser light of 630 nm or more and 670 nm or less, the CD10C uses laser light of 760 nm or more and 800 nm or less, and the BD10A or HD DVD10D uses laser light of 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less.

In addition, a cover portion of each optical recording medium10, specifically a thickness of a light transmissive substrate or cover layer on the side irradiated with the light by the objective lens, is approximately 0.1 mm in case of the BD10A, approximately 0.6 mm in case of the HD DVD10D; approximately 0.6 mm in case of the DVD10B, and approximately 1.2 mm, for example, in case of the CD10C, and as to a numerical aperture NA of an objective lens3, it is desirable that the DVD10B, CD10C, and HD DVD10D have NA of around 0.65, and the BD10A have that of around 0.85 in consideration of the wavelength used, thickness of the cover portion, and the like of each optical recording medium.

The optical pickup device40includes, for example, a first light source41and second light source42, a coupling lens43, a light path composing element44, a beam splitter45, a collimator lens46, a raising mirror47, a ¼ wavelength plate48, a diffraction element2, an objective lens3, a conversion lens49, an optical axis composing element50and a light receiving element51as shown inFIG. 2, and those other than the objective lens3are disposed in the moving base107explained in the above-describedFIG. 1and the lens3is provided in the movable portion108aof the objective lens drive unit108.

The first light source41is configured to have a first light emitting element41aand a second light emitting element41binside thereof, laser light of about 660 nm which corresponds to the DVD10B, for example, is emitted from the first light emitting element41a, and laser light of about 780 nm which corresponds to the CD10C, for example, is emitted from the second light emitting element41b.

Further, the second light source42is configured to have a third light emitting element42ainside thereof, and laser light of about 405 nm which corresponds to the BD10A or HD DVD10D is emitted.

The coupling lens43has a function of performing a conversion of an optical magnification factor in a forwarding path of the laser light emitted from the first light source41.

The light path composing element44is made of a beam splitter having a mirror surface44acapable of selecting wavelength, for example. The laser light having the wavelength of about 660 nm or about 780 nm that is emitted from the first light emitting element41aor second light emitting element41bof the first light source41is made incident on the light path composing element44through the coupling lens43, and is reflected by the mirror surface44aof this light path composing element44. The laser light having the wavelength of about 405 nm that is emitted from the third light emitting element42aof the second light source42is transmitted through the mirror surface44a.

The beam splitter45has a function of transmitting or reflecting incident laser light depending on a difference in a polarization direction, the laser light in the forwarding path is transmitted through a split surface45aand is made incident on the collimator lens46, and laser light in a return path is reflected by the split surface45aand is forwarded to the light receiving element51.

The laser light made into parallel light by the collimator lens46is reflected by the raising mirror47with a light path being converted by approximately 90°; the polarization direction is converted by the ¼ wavelength plate48to be made incident on the diffraction element2of a light focusing optical system1having the configuration of the present invention, and as described later on, the aberration correction of the light is performed correspondingly to the wavelength used and thickness of the cover portion of each optical recording medium10.

Further, the laser light to which the aberration correction is performed by the diffraction element2is focused onto a predetermined track position on a recording surface of the optical recording medium10(10A,10B,10C or10D) by the objective lens3.

Then, the laser light reflected from the optical recording medium10is made incident on the ¼ wavelength plate48through the objective lens3and diffraction element2and the polarization direction thereof is again converted; and the laser light is reflected by the raising mirror47to be transmitted through the collimator lens46; thereafter as described above, is reflected by the split surface45aof the polarization beam splitter45; and is made incident on a predetermined position of the light receiving element51through the optical axis composing element50, and a signal is detected by a predetermined detection mechanism which is not illustrated, though.

Here, the diffraction element2in the light focusing optical system1of the present invention is provided with first and second diffractive surfaces21and22, in which the light whose wavelength is 630 nm or more and 670 nm or less is diffracted in the first diffractive surface21and the light whose wavelength is 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less is diffracted in the second diffractive surface22.

With respect to the light focusing optical system1according to the configuration of the present invention, schematic configurations of examples, in which different kinds of optical recording media are used, are shown in the followingFIGS. 3though5. InFIGS. 3 through 5, the same reference numerals are given to corresponding portions and a redundant explanation is omitted.

For example, as shown inFIG. 3, the configuration is made such that the recording and/or reproduction is performed using the optical recording medium10A of the BD as the optical recording medium, for example, among the BD, HD DVD, or AOD, specifically by using light L1whose wavelength is 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less, and the aberration correction is performed by the second diffractive surface22of the diffraction element2on the optical recording medium10A whose cover portion11has the thickness of approximately 0.1 mm or 0.6 mm. InFIG. 3, an alternate long and short dash line C denotes an optical axis.

On the other hand, as shown in an schematic configuration ofFIG. 4, in a case where another optical recording medium of DVD10B, for example, is used in this light focusing optical system1, the configuration is made such that the recording and/or reproduction is performed by using light L2whose wavelength is 630 nm or more and 670 nm or less, and the aberration correction is performed by the first diffractive surface21of the diffraction element2on the DVD10B whose cover portion11, a light transmissive substrate in this case, has the thickness of approximately 0.6 mm.

Here, in the above-described diffraction element2, the second diffractive surface is configured to have the positive surface power, and so when the wavelength is altered in such a case that power of the light emitting element is switched from reproducing power to recording power, for example, the chromatic aberration can be corrected excellently by an action in which light beams fluctuated to the long wavelength side are diffracted more toward the optical axis side by this second diffractive surface (for example, refer to section “Chromatic aberration correction lens for optical disk” in page 87 of “Introduction to Diffraction Optical Element”, published by Optronics Inc. supervised by Japan Society of Applied Physics, et al.).

In addition, since this second diffractive surface is formed using a combined hologram in which elements2aand2bmade of materials having different wavelength dependence in a refractive index are joined together and a diffraction grating is formed on a joint surface, the diffraction of light in a different wavelength band is prevented and only the light whose wavelength is 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less can selectively be diffracted with the desired diffraction efficiency.

For example, in case that this second diffractive surface is configured as a boundary surface of different materials, and each of materials is selected to be the material, having the wavelength of 630 nm or more and 670 nm or less and have the compatibility with a CD, which has almost no difference in the wavelength band of 630 nm or more and 780 nm or less, and which has a requiring difference in refractive index in the wavelength band of the wavelength of 400 nm or more and 415 nm or less; and therefore, the diffractive surface which has excellent wavelength selectivity in the diffraction efficiency can be configured.

Furthermore, as shown in an schematic configuration ofFIG. 5, where light L3whose wavelength is about 780 nm is used to perform the reproduction from the CD10C as the optical recording medium whose cover portion11has the thickness of approximately 1.2 mm, a light focusing position to this CD10C is extended and the working distance WD that is a space between the objective lens3and the surface of the optical recording medium10C is enlarged, when providing at least one aspheric surface23having negative refractive power with the light focusing optical system1which includes this diffraction element2.

Here, in the examples explained inFIGS. 3 through 5, the diffraction element2is formed of two elements2aand2b, the first diffractive surface21is provided on a surface of the element2afacing the lens3, and the second diffractive surface22is provided on the joint surface between the two elements2aand2b. Further, the aspheric surface23having the negative refractive power is provided on the light source side with respect to the first and second diffractive surfaces21and22, that is, in the diffraction element2the opposite side of the element2bto the objective lens3. This aspheric surface may be provided on the same surface as the first or second diffractive surface21or22, however by thus providing separately from the first and second diffractive surfaces21and22, there is such advantages that the design flexibility increases, the design flexibility of the diffractive surface is secured, and the diffraction efficiency and the accuracy of aberration correction are not impaired.

As explained above, in the light focusing optical system of the present invention, the first and second diffractive surfaces21and22are provided as the diffraction element2, the light whose wavelength is from 630 to 670 nm is diffracted by the first diffractive surface21to perform the aberration correction on the optical recording medium whose cover portion has the thickness of approximately 0.6 mm, that is, the aberration correction of the optical recording medium corresponding to the DVD is performed, and the light whose wavelength is from 410 to 415 nm is diffracted by the second diffractive surface22to perform the aberration correction on the optical recording medium whose cover portion has the thickness of approximately 0.1 mm or 0.6 mm, that is, the aberration correction of the optical recording medium corresponding to the BD is performed; and so the aberration correction for DVD and for BD is performed excellently using the light focusing optical system1having one objective lens3and the optical pickup device and optical recording and reproducing device having the compatibility can be obtained.

Furthermore, with providing the aspheric surface having the negative refractive power, the optical pickup device and optical recording and reproducing device in which the light focusing optical system using a single objective lens also has the compatibility with the CD can be provided.

Next, an example of an optical design of the light focusing optical system having such configuration as the present invention is explained.FIG. 6is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an example of the light focusing optical system1which has the compatibility between the BD, HD DVD or AOD, and the DVD and/or CD, similarly to the above-described example explained inFIGS. 3 through 5.

InFIG. 6, in the diffraction element2and objective lens3constituting the light focusing optical system1, boundary surfaces in a light path of laser light for recording and/or reproduction are shown as2S1,2S2,2S3,2S4,3S5, and3S6from the light source side in order. Further, in the optical recording medium10, a surface of a cover portion of a BD type optical recording medium is shown as10S7A, a surface of a cover portion of a DVD type optical recording medium is shown as10S7B, and a surface of a cover portion of a CD type recording medium is shown as10S7C among surfaces10S7on the object side of the optical recording medium, and also boundary surfaces10S8between the cover portion and the recording surface are respectively shown as10S8A in the BD type optical recording medium, as10S8B in the DVD type optical recording medium, and10S8C in the CD type optical recording medium. Further, broken lines L1through L3respectively show light for recording and/or reproduction on the optical recording media of BD type, DVD type, and CD type configurations.

Here, in this example, the boundary surface2S4on the side of the objective lens3of the diffraction element2is made into the first diffractive surface, that is, the diffractive surface to diffract light whose wavelength is from 630 to 670 nm and to perform the aberration correction on the optical recording medium whose cover portion has the thickness of approximately 0.6 mm, and the boundary surface2S3inside the diffraction element2is made into the second diffractive surface, that is, the diffractive surface to diffract light whose wavelength is from 400 to 415 nm and to perform the aberration correction on the optical recording medium whose cover portion has the thickness of approximately 0.1 mm or 0.6 mm. In addition, the boundary surface2S1on the light source side of the diffraction element2is configured to be the aspheric surface having the negative refractive power.

Next, an example of design data of this light focusing optical system is shown.

First, the following Table 1 shows a curvature radius R of each boundary surface, a thickness on an axis to the next boundary surface (for each wavelength), a medium to the next boundary surface, an aspheric coefficient, and a diffractive surface phase difference coefficient. In Table 1, when the medium to the next boundary surface is glass, a sign thereof is shown, and the refractive index in each wavelength of the glass material shown by each sign is shown in the following Table 2.

Here, in the above Table 1, an aspheric formula shown in the following formula 1 was used as the aspheric coefficient.

where, X: depth from surface apex [mm]Y: height from optical axis [mm]R: curvature radius [mm]K: conical constantA: aspheric coefficient of term Y4B: aspheric coefficient of term Y6C: aspheric coefficient of term Y8D: aspheric coefficient of term Y10E: aspheric coefficient of term Y12F: aspheric coefficient of term Y14G: aspheric coefficient of term Y16

Also, as to the phase difference coefficient of diffractive surface, a phase polynomial shown in the following formula 2 was used.
OPD=C1Y2+C2Y4+C3Y6+C4Y8+C5Y10+C6Y12[Formula 2]

where, OPD: phase difference from axis [mm]Y: height from optical axis [mm]

Lateral aberration with respect to the CD, DVD, and BD was calculated using the light focusing optical system based on such design. Results are shown inFIGS. 7 through 9.

FIGS. 7A to 7Dshow a case where the CD is used,FIGS. 8A to 8Dshow a case where the DVD is used, andFIGS. 9A to 9Dshow a case where the BD is used, whereinFIGS. 7A,8A,9A and7B,8B,9B are diagrams showing the lateral aberration in the Y direction and in the X direction orthogonal thereto, respectively, when a light beam is incident in the Y direction orthogonal to the optical axis with a field angle of 0.5°, and7C,8C,9C and7D,8D,9D are diagrams showing the lateral aberration in the Y direction and in the X direction on the axis, respectively.

As is obvious from the results ofFIGS. 7 through 9, it is verified that the lateral aberration is suppressed in this light focusing optical system in any of the optical recording media CD, DVD, and BD.

Further, spherical aberration with respect to the CD, DVD, and BD was also calculated. Results are shown inFIGS. 10through12, respectively. It is verified that all the spherical aberration to the CD shown inFIG. 10, spherical aberration to the DVD shown inFIG. 11, and spherical aberration to the BD shown inFIG. 12are suppressed low.

In this light focusing optical system, when each of optical recording media of BD, DVD, and CD is used, a focal length, numerical aperture, wavelength, magnification, object-image distance, working distance, thickness of cover portion, chromatic aberration in case of wavelength fluctuation +1 nm, aberration characteristic on axis, and aberration characteristic outside axis (in case of 0.5°) are shown in the following Table 3.

From the result in this Table 3, it is verified that the chromatic aberration is controlled to be a practical numerical value with respect to each optical recording medium of BD, DVD, and CD, and in addition, it is verified that both the aberration characteristic on axis and the aberration characteristic outside axis are also controlled to be sufficiently a low level.

Here, in a light focusing optical system based on the similar design, when the diffractive surface is not provided on the boundary surface2S3, the chromatic aberration with respect to the BD was 0.541. Specifically, it is verified that the chromatic aberration was suppressed excellently by providing the diffraction surface corresponding to the BD with this boundary surface2S3.

As explained above, according to the light focusing optical system of the present invention, the aberration correction can be performed excellently on various kinds of optical recording media of the BD type, DVD type, and CD type by the optical system using one objective lens, the compatibility between three different kinds of optical recording media can be obtained by. applying this light focusing optical system to the optical pickup device and optical recording and reproducing device, and also the miniaturization, thinness, and reduction in weight of the device become possible.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the configurations explained in the embodiments described above but various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

For example, in the light focusing optical system based on the above-described design example, it is also possible to configure a light focusing optical system corresponding to the HD DVD and AOD instead of the BD to have the compatibility with the CD and DVD.