Patent ID: 7773304

Claim:
An optical pickup comprising: an objective lens for collecting an exit light from a light source on an information recording surface of an information recording medium; a spherical aberration correction lens, having one surface formed to a larger curvature than the other surface, for correcting a spherical aberration of a light beam collected on the information recording surface by the objective lens; a rising mirror for deflecting the exit light passed through the spherical aberration correction lens at a substantially right angle and guiding the exit light to an entrance surface of the objective lens; a lens holder, configured thinner than a maximum thickness width of the spherical aberration correction lens, for holding the spherical aberration correction lens so that the surface of large curvature partially projects out with the surface of large curvature facing the rising mirror side; a guide member extending in an optical axis direction of the spherical aberration correction lens, and having an end arranged to the side of a reflecting surface of the rising mirror; a slidable part fixed to the lens holder while being projected to the rising mirror side and slidably moved along the guide member; and a drive mechanism for driving the spherical aberration correction lens; wherein the spherical aberration correction lens and the rising mirror are configured to be approachable until the projecting portion from the lens holder of the spherical aberration correction lens overlaps the reflecting surface of the rising mirror by having the projecting portion of the slidable part fitted within the side surface of the reflecting surface of the rising mirror when the spherical aberration correction lens approaches the rising mirror the most.