Patent ID: 7317744

Claim:
An optical head apparatus comprising first and second semiconductor lasers to emit laser lights adapted to different first and second recording media, respectively, in which a laser driver circuit for driving the first and second semiconductor lasers is placed in a flexible circuit board connected to the first and second semiconductor lasers, wherein the laser driver circuit includes a main circuit which is shared by the first and second semiconductor lasers and which generates a control signal to drive the first and second semiconductor lasers, and at least a first sub circuit and a second sub circuit, each having first and second final driving stages which drive the first and second semiconductor lasers, respectively, in accordance with the control signal supplied from the main circuit; the main circuit includes a selection circuit which selectively supplies the control signal to the sub circuits to be operated in conformity with the kind of recording medium; and the main circuit is placed at a predetermined position of the flexible circuit board; the first sub circuit is placed closer to a first connection area to the first semiconductor laser of the flexible circuit board than the main circuit or placed on the first connection area; and the second sub circuit is placed closer to a second connection area to the second semiconductor laser of the flexible circuit board than the main circuit or placed on the second connection area.