Patent ID: 7502298

Claim:
An optical pickup apparatus for optical data media of different formats, comprising: a light source module having a first light source for emitting a first wavelength laser beam for writing information to a first data medium and a second light source for emitting a second wavelength laser beam for writing information to a second data medium, and for operating either the first light source or the second light source; a diffraction element comprising diffraction gratings for diffracting a laser beam emitted from either the first or the second light source in a predetermined condition, and dividing the emitted laser beam into five laser beams; an objective lens for focusing as optical spots the laser beams passed through the diffraction gratings on predetermined locations on the surface of the corresponding data medium; and an optical detector for receiving laser beams reflected from the surface of the data media, and detecting an information signal and error signals; wherein the diffraction gratings comprise a first diffraction grating formed to face the light source module and a second diffraction grating formed on the opposite side of the first diffraction grating, the gratings formed to have a predetermined grating period.