Patent ID: 8077563

Claim:
A beam applying method of performing recording and reproducing operations on an optical recording medium, in which a signal is recorded and reproduced by applying a beam thereto and which has a recording layer on which the signal is recorded, a first quarter-wavelength plate formed below the recording layer, a polarizing plate formed below the first quarter-wavelength plate, and a reflecting film formed below the polarizing plate, the beam applying method comprising: emitting a beam to be applied to the optical recording medium, the beam applied through the first quarter-wavelength plate, the recording layer, the polarizing plate, and then on the reflecting film; and driving a second quarter-wavelength plate inserted into an optical system serving to guide the emitted beam to the optical recording medium so that the optical axis direction thereof has a predetermined angle difference at the time of performing a recording operation and reproduction, wherein the polarizing plate is configured such that during the recording operations a first linearly-polarized beam is absorbed by the polarizing plate such that the beam does not reach the reflecting film, and during the reproducing operations a second linearly-polarized beam oriented perpendicular to the first linearly-polarized beam is transmitted to the reflecting film.