Patent ID: 7068911

Claim:
An optical pick-up apparatus for picking up data from a medium with a predetermined optical component, comprising: a light source configured to generate a light wave having the predetermined optical component; an optical probe configured to guide a light wave in a predetermined propagating direction and output the predetermined optical component of the light wave to the medium, the optical probe being located in an atmosphere, and the light wave being polarized in a first direction perpendicular to the predetermined propagating direction, said optical probe comprising: a core configured to transmit the light wave, having a first refractive index, comprising a base portion and an end portion having an end face and first and second opposed surfaces, the end portion being gradually diminished from the base portion to the end face, the first opposed surfaces inclining to the first direction and extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and propagating direction, and the second opposed surface being inclining to the second direction and extending along the first direction; and a light absorbing layer formed on the first opposed surfaces of the core, the second opposed surfaces being exposed to the atmosphere, the light wave guided in the core being confined in the end portion, a part of the light wave being absorbed in the light absorbing layer, the predetermined optical component penetrating the end face to the medium, and the predetermined optical component being reflected from the medium and guided into the optical probe through the end face of the core; and a sensing section configured to sense the guided predetermined optical component.