Patent ID: 7652968

Claim:
A holographic recording/reproducing apparatus adapted to split laser light into signal light and reference light and to record a hologram by illuminating a holographic recording medium with the signal light and the reference light and/or to reproduce the hologram by illuminating the holographic recording medium with the reference light, the holographic recording/reproducing apparatus comprising: a laser light source that emits the laser light; measuring means for measuring the wavelength of the laser light; and setting means for measuring the wavelength of the laser light while changing a current supplied to the laser light source, and for setting the current supplied to the laser light source based on a measurement result such that the influence of a change in the wavelength of the laser light is minimized, wherein the setting means sets the current supplied to the laser light source such that the setting means detects first and second current values, the first current value being a value at which the wavelength of the laser light abruptly changes when the current supplied to the laser light source is increased, and the second current value being a value at which the wavelength of the laser light abruptly changes when the current supplied to the laser light source is reduced, the setting means sets the current supplied to the laser light source to a value substantially equal to the middle between the first and second current values, and the setting means sets the current supplied to the laser light source such that the setting means detects third and fourth current values, the third current value being a value at which the laser light has a maximum wavelength when the current supplied to the laser light source is increased, and the fourth current value being a value at which the laser light has a minimum wavelength when the current supplied to the laser light source is reduced, the setting means determines a range in which the first current value will not become greater than the third current value and the second current value will not become less than the fourth current value, and the setting means detects the first and second current values within the range and sets the current supplied to the laser light source.