Patent ID: 7242510

Claim:
An aberration correction element for correcting an aberration, said aberration correction element being placed along an optical axis of light in a middle of an optical path between a light source and an optical element for focusing the light emitted from the light source on an information recording medium, said aberration correction element comprising: a liquid crystal element; a first electrode; a plurality of second electrodes which mutually face said first electrode, with said liquid crystal element being sandwiched between said first electrode and said second electrodes, and which are arranged in a form of multiple layers in a direction of the optical axis; and a plurality of outgoing lines for individually applying a voltage to said plurality of second electrodes, at least one of said plurality of second electrodes being placed between one of said outgoing lines for applying the voltage to another second electrode other than one second electrode which is placed on the closest side to said liquid crystal element, out of said plurality of second electrodes, and at least one portion of said liquid crystal element which faces said one of said outgoing lines for applying the voltage to the another second electrode in the direction of the optical axis.