Patent ID: 8081556

Claim:
An optical pickup apparatus comprising: a laser light source including a first light emitting point for laser light with a first wavelength and a second light emitting point for laser light with a second wavelength, the first light emitting point and the second light emitting point being disposed at positions deviating in a direction optically corresponding to a tracking direction of an optical disc, the laser light source being configured to selectively emit the laser light with the first wavelength or the laser light with the second wavelength; a diffraction grating configured for use in an in-line differential tracking method, the diffraction grating including a plurality of periodic structures having a different phase from each other in the direction optically corresponding to the tracking direction of the optical disc, the plurality of periodic structures including a center periodic structure having a different phase from periodic structures on both sides of the center periodic structure, each of the plurality of periodic structures including a recess and a projection repeated in a direction optically corresponding to a tangential direction of the optical disc, the diffraction grating configured to generate a main luminous flux and a sub luminous flux from the laser light; a holder configured to hold the diffraction grating so as to be such that the diffraction grating is movable in the direction corresponding to the tracking direction of the optical disc, the holder further comprising: a first holder movable in the direction optically corresponding to the tracking direction of the optical disc, the first holder including a first opening portion that allows the main luminous flux and the sub luminous flux to pass therethrough, and a second holder configured to hold the diffraction grating, the second holder fitted with the first opening portion such that the diffraction grating is rotatable, the second holder including a second opening portion that allows the main luminous flux and the sub luminous flux to pass therethrough; a collimating lens configured to convert the main luminous flux and sub luminous flux into parallel light; an objective lens configured to focus the main luminous flux and the sub luminous flux output from the collimating lens on the same track of the optical disc; and a photodetector configured to be applied with reflected lights of the main luminous flux and the sub luminous flux focused on the optical disc, to generate a main push-pull signal and a sub push-pull signal of a differential push-pull signal used in the in-line differential tracking method, wherein the diffraction grating is displaced in a direction corresponding to the tracking direction and a rotational direction, in consideration of deviation of the positions of the first and second light emitting points, so as to cause a visual-field characteristic of the differential push-pull signal based on the laser light with either of the first wavelength or the second wavelength to become greater than or equal to 50%.