Patent Application
20100128593
The present invention relates to a phase difference element for changing a polarization state of light, and an optical head apparatus for making recording or reproduction with respect to an optical recording medium (hereinafter called an optical disk) such as a CD, a DVD, a Blue-ray disk (hereinafter called a BD) or an HD-DVD.
This kind of optical head apparatus comprises a light source and an optical detector, an optical path separation element such as a beam splitter for reflecting an optical beam emitted from the light source so as to guide the optical beam to an optical disk and also transmitting reflected light from the optical disk so as to guide the reflected light toward the optical detector, and an objective lens arranged oppositely to an information recording surface of the optical disk. Particularly, a quarter-wave plate (λ/4 plate) for rotating a polarization plane of light incident on and reflected by the optical disk, that is, changing a polarization state of light is generally disposed between the objective lens and the optical path separation element. Here, the “polarization state” of light in the invention of the present application refers to circular polarization, linear polarization or elliptical polarization, and also refers to a direction of the long axis of its electric field in the case of the linear polarization or the elliptical polarization.
The quarter-wave plate used as a normal phase difference element can develop a phase difference of a quarter-wavelength with respect to light of a particular wavelength and convert light of linear polarization into light of circular polarization (or light of circular polarization into light of linear polarization), but with respect to light of linear polarization of a wavelength different from its wavelength, a phase difference deviates from a quarter-wavelength, so that conversion into circular polarization cannot be made. In this case, for example, an optical head apparatus for recording or reproducing an optical disk with plural standards has a light source with plural wavelengths, so that it is necessary to respectively comprise quarter-wave plates according to light of the plural wavelengths and a disadvantage occurred in cost reduction and miniaturization of the apparatus.
Ellipticity can be made higher than that of light of the other wavelength with respect to light of particular two wavelengths, in other words, approximation to circular polarization can be made by comprising a broadband wavelength plate of a configuration using two phase difference layers, for example, in the case of light of two kinds of wavelengths (wavelengths of bands of 660 nm and 780 nm for DVD and CD) in order to implement a function of a quarter-wave plate by one phase difference element with respect to light of plural wavelengths until now (Patent Reference 1). Also, a quarter-wave plate of a wider range of wavelength which is constructed by a wavelength plate of three layers and expands a wavelength range with large ellipticity is reported (Patent Reference 2). In addition to this, a wavelength plate for approximating ellipticity to 1 at a pinpoint in wavelengths of 400 nm, 650 nm and 785 nm using two phase difference layers is reported (Patent Reference 3).
Patent Reference 1: JP-A-2001-101700
Patent Reference 2: JP-A-2006-114080
Patent Reference 3: JP-A-2007-086105
However, in both of Patent Reference 1 and Patent Reference 2, a peak at which ellipticity in a particular wavelength range is approximated to 1 is two points and when these broadband wavelength plates are applied to a recent optical head apparatus, the peak at which ellipticity is approximated to 1 cannot be had at all the three wavelength bands of a band of 780 nm for CD, a band of 660 nm for DVD and a band of 405 nm for BD or HD-DVD. In other words, in the case of giving the peaks to ellipticities of the band of 405 nm and the band of 660 nm, the peak is absent in ellipticity of the band of 780 nm and the ellipticity also becomes relatively low. As a result of this, the optical head apparatus having such three light sources had a problem of causing a decrease in a utilization ratio of light in light of any wavelength. Also, Patent Reference 3 has characteristics of becoming a peak at which ellipticity is approximated to 1 according to wavelengths of three light sources for optical head apparatus, but when a wavelength of the pinpoint light source fluctuates or only deviates from a predetermined wavelength by about 10 nm due to variations in the light source, ellipticity reduces largely and it becomes difficult to make conversion into circular polarization, so that there was a problem in reliability or manufacturing variations.
The invention has been implemented in order to solve such problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a phase difference element having three or more peaks at which ellipticity approximates to 1 when light of linear polarization enters in a predetermined wavelength range (380 to 900 nm) and also having constant ellipticity even at a wavelength other than the peaks.
The invention provides a phase difference element for changing a polarization state of incident light incident by light of linear polarization of three or more different wavelengths λk (k=1, 2, 3, . . . ) and transmitting the light, wherein the phase difference element is constructed of three phase difference layers respectively arranged in parallel in order of a first phase difference layer, a second phase difference layer and a third phase difference layer having refractive index anisotropy from the incident light side, and a fast axis direction of the second phase difference layer differs from fast axis directions of the first phase difference layer and the third phase difference layer, and ellipticity of light transmitted through the phase difference element, the light in which ellipticity at a wavelength band of λk±Δλk at the time of setting Δλk at 3% of the wavelength λk becomes 0.6 or more, changes by a wavelength of the transmitted light, and retardations of the respective three phase difference layers and angles of optic axis directions of the respective three phase difference layers are adjusted so as to have peaks at which the ellipticity approximates to 1 at the three or more wavelengths.
By this configuration, one phase difference element can be made to function as a high-quality quarter-wave plate with respect to light of three different wavelengths.
Also, the invention provides the phase difference element wherein light of linear polarization of three different wavelengths λk (k=1, 2, 3) enters the phase difference element and peaks at which the ellipticity approximates to 1 are had at the three different wavelengths and also the amount of change in ellipticity at the time when a wavelength changes by 1% is within 0.1 at a wavelength band of λk±Δλk at the time of setting Δλk at 3% of the wavelength λk.
By this configuration, even in the case of entering a phase difference element in the presence of fluctuation in light of a predetermined wavelength, modulation can be performed without reducing ellipticity of linear polarization, so that reliability improves and this is preferable. In the case of doing design so that a difference in ellipticity is within 0.1 when Δλk is set at 2% of the wavelength λk, even when a range of fluctuation in the wavelength is large, a big change in ellipticity is absent and this is more preferable.
Also, the invention provides the phase difference element wherein when light of the three wavelengths λ1, λ2 and λ3 is entered by light of linear polarization becoming the same polarization direction and values of Stokes parameters indicating a polarization state of light incident on the third phase difference layer are respectively set at (S131, S231, S331) (S132, S232, S332) and (S133, S233, S333) with respect to the three wavelengths λ1, λ2 and λ3, values of B1, B2 and B3 satisfying the following equalities are substantially equal.
S
231
=B
1
×S
131,
S
232
=B
2
×S
132, and
S
233
=B
3
×S
133.
By doing design thus, with respect to Stokes parameters of light of linear polarization incident, a setting condition of a first phase difference layer and a second phase difference layer among conditions of an optic axis angle and retardation of each of the phase difference layers for changing Stokes parameters of light transmitted through a phase difference element into a state of circular polarization can be defined.
Also, the invention provides the phase difference element wherein when light of the three wavelengths λ1, λ2 and λ3 is entered by light of linear polarization becoming the same polarization direction and values of Stokes parameters indicating a polarization state of light incident on the second phase difference layer are respectively set at (S121, S221, S321), (S122, S222, S322) and (S123, S223, S323) with respect to the three wavelengths λ1, λ2 and λ3, values of A1, A2 and A3 satisfying the following equalities are substantially equal.
(S231−S221)=A1×(S131−S121),
(S232−S222)=A2×(S132−S122), and
(S233−S223)=A3×(S133−S123).
By doing design thus, with respect to Stokes parameters of light of linear polarization incident, a setting condition of a first phase difference layer and a second phase difference layer among conditions of an optic axis angle and retardation of each of the phase difference layers for changing Stokes parameters of light transmitted through a phase difference element into a state of circular polarization can be defined further and a third phase difference layer can be set after this condition is satisfied.
Also, the invention provides the phase difference element wherein the λ1 is between 380 and 450 nm and the λ2 is between 600 and 720 nm and the λ3 is between 750 and 900 nm.
By this configuration, it functions as a quarter-wave plate at all the wavelength bands of light standardized for pickup of an optical disk, so that substitution of plural phase plates is enabled.
Also, the invention provides the phase difference element wherein ellipticities of the transmitted light in which light of the three wavelengths λ1, λ2 and λ3 is transmitted through the phase difference element are respectively 0.9 or more.
By this configuration, a function as a quarter-wave plate at each of the wavelengths can be satisfied sufficiently, so that a decrease in light use efficiency can be suppressed.
Also, the invention provides an optical head apparatus having a light source with three different wavelengths, an objective lens for collecting light emitted from the light source in an optical disk, and an optical detector for detecting reflected light from the optical disk, characterized in that a phase difference element described above is arranged in an optical path ranging from a light source to an optical detector.
By this configuration, it can be adapted as a quarter-wave plate in all the light of three kinds of different wavelengths used for pickup of three kinds of standardized optical disks applied to an optical head apparatus. As a result of this, by using one phase difference element for the optical head apparatus in which the three kinds of optical disks are compatible, it can be adapted to light of all the wavelength bands and miniaturization and cost reduction can be achieved.
The invention can provide a phase difference element which is constructed by stacking three phase difference layers having refractive index anisotropy in parallel and functions as a quarter-wave plate for converting all the light of linear polarization of three or more different wavelengths into circular polarization by adjusting an optic axis angle and retardation of each of the phase difference layers.
As a material of the phase difference layer, a polymer liquid crystal in which a liquid crystal is polymerized, a liquid crystal, an optical anisotropic single crystal such as KDP, LiTaO3, LiNbO3 or a quartz crystal, or a material in which a resin film such as PVA, polyolefin or polycarbonate is stretched can also be used. In addition to that, the material is not limited to the above as long as the material has the refractive index anisotropy. Also, it is unnecessary for the three phase difference layers to have the same material, and materials may be combined properly.
Here, light of linear polarization parallel to the X axis of
The retardation of the phase difference layer has wavelength dispersion characteristics different by a material used, but the case where the following equalities in which wavelength dependence (wavelength dispersion of a refractive index) of the retardation of each of the phase difference layers is absent hold is first considered in order to simplify explanation.
Rd11=Rd12=Rd13=Rd1,
Rd21=Rd22=Rd23=Rd2, and
Rd31=Rd32=Rd33=Rd3.
At this time, Rd1, Rd2 and Rd3 are typical retardation values of the respective phase difference layers.
A phase difference element in which light of linear polarization with three different wavelengths of λ1=405 nm, λ2=660 nm and λ3=780 nm respectively enters and light of each of the wavelengths is converted into circular polarization is designed. An azimuth angle of linear polarization at this time is parallel to the X axis in
A design method of the invention will be described in detail. A design wavelength at which ellipticity is approximated to 1 is set at λk (k=1, 2, 3), and a phase difference layer is set at the jth phase difference layer (j=1, 2, 3) from the incident side of light to the phase difference element. A Stokes parameter S is used for indicating a polarization state of light and is normally expressed by a four-dimensional vector of (S0, S1, S2, S3). S0, S1, S2 and S3 refer to luminance of light, intensity of polarization of 0°, intensity of polarization of 45′ and intensity of circular polarization, respectively, and the Stokes parameter will hereafter be described as a three-dimensional vector of (S1, S2, S3) by omitting the intensity S0 of polarization.
The Stokes parameter indicating a polarization state of light in the case of considering a phase difference layer (j) and a kind (k) of a wavelength is first set at (S1jk, S2jk, S3jk). Also, the Stokes parameter of each wavelength after passing through the phase difference element 1 is set at (S1outk, S2outk, S3outk) as shown in Table 1. All the lights of the three design wavelengths λk shall enter the phase difference element 1 by light of linear polarization of the same direction (X-axis direction) and the Stokes parameter of incident light of each wavelength becomes (S1k1, S2k1, S3k1)=(1, 0, 0). All the three design wavelengths are described as a state of entering the phase difference element 1 by light of linear polarization of the same direction, but may be in a state orthogonal mutually or a state of entering at a particular angle.
A value of each of the Stokes parameters of Table 1 is obtained by a method described below so that light of linear polarization of the design wavelength λk passes through the phase difference element 1 and becomes light of circular polarization. Table 2 respectively shows concrete values of the Stokes parameters of transmitted light and light incident on the phase difference layers. The light of circular polarization is set so that S1outk and S2outk which are linear polarization components respectively become 0 and S3outk which is a circular polarization component becomes +1 or −1. In an example of Table 2, S3outk is +1 and a polarization state is clockwise circular polarization. The “circular polarization” shall hereafter be the clockwise circular polarization unless otherwise specified.
Retardation and an optic axis angle of each of the phase difference layers are set in order to change a polarization state (1, 0, 0) of incident light of the design wavelength λk to circular polarization with ellipticity=1 of (0, 0, 1). For example, a polarization state of light after passing through each of the phase difference layers becomes the Stokes parameters as shown in Table 2 by being based on the proper retardation and optic axis angle of each of the phase difference layers. A first design guide for guiding such concrete values will be described.
(First Design Guide)
In
S
231
=B
1
×S
131,
S
232
=B
2
×S
132, and
S
233
=B
3
×S
133.
By this, four points including the point of (S1, S2)=(0, 0) are positioned in substantially a straight line.
Concretely, in the values of B1, B2 and B3, values of arctan(B1), arctan(B2) and arctan(B3) preferably match within ±15°. The values more preferably match within ±5°, and furthermore preferably match within ±2°. When numerical values of Table 2 are adapted, the following are satisfied and B1, B2 and B3 are substantially equal and the values of arctan (B1), arctan(B2) and arctan(B3) are also within ±2°.
B
1
=S
131
/S
231=−0.240/0.752=−0.319,
B
2
=S
132
/S
232=−0.298/0.933=−0.319, and
B
3
=S
133
/S
233=−0.277/0.870=−0.318.
Also, when there is no condition that ellipticity approximates to 1 at all the three design wavelengths λ1, λ2 and λ3 even in the case of adjusting an optic axis angle or retardation of the third phase difference layer 13, optic axis angles or retardations of the first phase difference layer 11 and the second phase difference layer 12 are adjusted under the condition that values of B1, B2 and B3 become equal again. Then, the phase difference element of the invention can be designed by doing a repeat so that a condition of the third phase difference layer 13 is adjusted and ellipticity after passing through the phase difference element approximates to 1 at the three design wavelengths.
(Second Design Guide)
Further, a second design guide will be described in detail using
In
(S231−S221)=A1×(S131−S121),
(S232−S222)=A2×(S132−S122), and
(S233−S223)=A3×(S133−S123).
Concretely, in the values of A1, A2 and A3, values of arctan(A1), arctan(A2) and arctan(A3) preferably match within ±15°. The values more preferably match within ±5°, and furthermore preferably match within ±2°. When numerical values of Table 2 are adapted, the following are satisfied and A1, A2 and A3 are substantially equal and the values of arctan (A1), arctan (A2) and arctan (A3) are also within ±2°.
A
1=(S231−S221)/(S131−S121)=(0.752−0.305)/(−0.240−0.918)=0.447/(−1.158)=0.386,
A
2=(S232−S222)/(S132−S122)=(0.933−0.482)/(−0.298−0.871)=0.451/(−1.169)=0.386, and
A
3=(S233−S223)/(S133−S123)=(0.870−0.420)/(−0.277−0.887)=0.450/(−1.164)=0.387.
Thus, design can be done as described above, and the phase difference element 1 of the invention can be designed by doing a repeat so that a condition of the third phase difference layer 13 is adjusted and ellipticity after passing through the phase difference element approximates to 1 at the three design wavelengths after optic axis angles or retardations of the first phase difference layer 11 and the second phase difference layer 12 are adjusted under the conditions of the first design guide and the second design guide again when ellipticity does not approximate to 1 at all the three design wavelengths λ1, λ2 and λ3 even in the case of adjusting an optic axis angle or retardation of the third phase difference layer 13. As a common design principle, when ellipticity is approximated to 1 according to the design principle at the three design wavelengths, a condition that ellipticity becomes 0.9 or more at all the design wavelengths is obtained and when its condition is not reached, a condition is again changed and recalculation is repeated.
Here, the first design guide is described independently of the second design guide, but the phase difference element 1 of the invention can be designed more easily by doing a repeat so that an optic axis angle and retardation of the third phase difference layer 13 are adjusted and ellipticity after passing through the phase difference element approximates to 1 at the three design wavelengths after optic axis angles and retardations of the first phase difference layer 11 and the second phase difference layer 12 are designed so as to simultaneously satisfy substantially equalization of values of constants B1, B2 and B3 satisfying the following which are a relation of the Stokes parameters shown in the first design guide,
S
231
=B
1
×S
131,
S
232
=B
2
×S
132, and
S
233
=B
3
×S
133,
and substantially equalization of values of constants A1, A2 and A3 satisfying the following which are a relation of the Stokes parameters described in the second design guide.
(S231−S221)=A1×(S131−S121),
(S232−S222)=A2×(S132−S122), and
(S233−S223)=A3×(S133−S123).
(Third Design Guide)
Further, a third design guide will be described in order to facilitate design. A ratio between retardations of any two of phase difference layers among retardations of three phase difference layers is limited between 1.5 and 2.5 and thereby, a design solution can be obtained more easily, so that this is preferable. The ratio is more preferably limited between 1.8 and 2.2. Concretely, as a limit of an initial value at the time of starting design, a value of Rd1/Rd3 is set at 2. Each of the retardations or the optic axis angles is adjusted based on the first design guide or the second design guide described above. As a limit condition in the case of adjustment, Rd1/Rd3 is set at 1.8 to 2.2.
(First Design Example)
Angles (θ1, θ2, θ3) of an optic axis direction and retardations (Rd1, Rd2, Rd3) of each of the phase difference layers are adjusted so that light transmitted through each of the phase difference layers becomes a polarization state shown by the Stokes parameters expressed by the coordinates of, for example,
Rd1=289.55 nm, θ1=7.50°,
Rd2=281.02 nm, θ2=34.43°, and
Rd3=143.82 nm, θ3=98.84°,
the transmitted light becomes circular polarization with ellipticity of substantially 1 when light of linear polarization (a polarization azimuth angle of 0°) parallel to the X axis of λ1=405 nm, λ2=660 nm and λ3=780 nm enters the phase difference element 1. The contents in which a polarization state of the transmitted light and a polarization state of the light entering each of the phase difference layers of this phase difference element are described by the Stokes parameters are shown in Table 2. Also, it is found that Rd1/Rd3=2.01 is satisfied and is the condition based on the third design guide described above.
Also, when a semiconductor laser is used as a light source of an optical head apparatus actually, there are variations in a wavelength by individual difference of the semiconductor laser or a change in a wavelength occurs by a change in temperature of the semiconductor laser. These variations in the wavelength are about ±3% of the design wavelengths (λ1, λ2 and λ3) (for example, 660 nm±20 nm). Therefore, as characteristics of the phase difference element 1, ellipticity approximates to 1 at only the design wavelengths λk and in addition, ellipticity of a wavelength band at the time of Δλk=3% is 0.6 or more at a wavelength band of λk±Δλk and thereby, it functions sufficiently for variations or a change in temperature of a light source wavelength and light use efficiency of the optical head apparatus can be maintained high. Further, it is more preferable that the ellipticity of the wavelength band at the time of Δλk=3% be 0.7 or more.
Further, when ellipticity of the phase difference element changes greatly in the case where a wavelength of a light source changes by temperature variations etc. at the time of Δλk=3% at a wavelength band of λk±Δλk, particularly in an optical head apparatus using an optical element such as a polarization beam splitter in which transmissivity depends on a polarization state, the amount of light reaching an optical disk or signal intensity from the optical disk changes by temperature and this is not preferable. As a result of that, a change in ellipticity is preferably small with respect to a change in a wavelength within the wavelength range described above. Concretely, when a wavelength changes by ±1% in the case of Δλk=3% at the wavelength band of λk±Δλk, the amount of change in ellipticity (difference between the maximum value and the minimum value in ellipticity) is preferably 0.1 or less, and more preferably 0.05 or less, and furthermore preferably 0.03 or less. In the present design example, 0.03 or less is achieved. When retardation Rd (=Δn·d) is large in the phase difference layer, a phase difference (|a phase of the fast axis−a phase of the slow axis|) of the transmitted light expressed by Δn·d·(2π/λ) also becomes large. In the case of assuming a change (λ±Δλ) in a wavelength in the vicinity of an incident wavelength λ, when retardation is large, a change in a phase difference also becomes large with respect to the change in the wavelength and dependence on the amount of change in the wavelength of ellipticity also becomes large.
From this, it could be designed so as to form the phase difference layers so that the following become 2 or less and more preferably 1 or less, 0.7 or less and furthermore preferably 0.5 or less in order to decrease a change in ellipticity in the vicinity of the design wavelengths (λ1, λ2 and λ3: λ1<λ2<λ3).
Rd13/λ3,
Rd23/λ3, and
Rd33/λ3.
In this first design example, the following are satisfied and all become 0.5 or less.
Rd
13/λ3=289.55 nm/780 nm=0.37,
Rd
23/λ3=281.02 nm/780 nm=0.36, and
Rd
33/λ3=143.82 nm/780 nm=0.18.
Next, a method for doing design in consideration of wavelength dispersion of a material of a phase difference layer constructing the phase difference element 1 actually will be described. The wavelength dispersion of retardation of the phase difference layer varies depending on wavelength dispersion characteristics of a refractive index of a material. As the material of the phase difference layer, as described above, an optical anisotropic material having refractive index anisotropy is preferable, and an oriented organic material such as a polymer liquid crystal or a liquid crystal, a stretched organic film such as PVA, polyolefin or polycarbonate, a structural birefringence having a microstructure of a wavelength order, or a single crystal such as KTP, LiTaO3, LiNbO3 or a quartz crystal can be used. The phase difference layer is formed using these materials and the phase difference element is designed in consideration of wavelength dispersion characteristics of a refractive index.
When the polymer liquid crystal in which a liquid crystal is polymerized and becomes high molecules among the listed materials is used as a material for forming the phase difference layer, the phase difference layer can be manufactured at lower cost than that of formation by a single-crystal material and also a film of the phase difference layer is thinned or an optic axis can be formed in a plane perpendicular to an incident optical axis, so that it is preferable in an increase in design flexibility, for example, incidence angle dependence can be reduced. Here, the phase difference layer using the polymer liquid crystal will be described by way of example. In wavelength dependence (wavelength dispersion) of retardation of the polymer liquid crystal used herein, the phase difference layer in which ratios of each of the retardations of a wavelength λ1=405 nm to wavelengths λ2 (=660 nm) and λ3 (=780 nm) are shown as follows is formed.
Rd(λ2)/Rd(λ1)=0.818, and
Rd(λ3)/Rd(λ1)=0.727.
(Second Design Example)
A second design example of adjusting an optic axis angle and retardation of each of the phase difference layers will be described based on the first, second and third design guides described above. In the present design example, both of Rd11/Rd31 and Rd21/Rd31 are set at 1.8 to 2.2. As a result of that, the following can be obtained with respect to incident light with a wavelength λ1=405 nm.
Retardation Rd11 of first phase difference layer 11=343.81 nm, Optic axis angle θ1=9.54°,
Retardation Rd21 of second phase difference layer 12=303.51 nm, Optic axis angle θ2=34.58°, and
Retardation Rd31 of third phase difference layer 13=166.25 nm, Optic axis angle θ3=94.73°.
Values multiplied by the ratios of the retardations by the above design wavelengths are obtained with respect to λ2 and λ3.
Table 3 shows Stokes parameters indicating a polarization state in which light of these design wavelengths passes through each of the phase difference layers of the phase difference element and becomes light incident on the next layer.
Also, the second design example is designed so that ellipticity has a peak at each of the design wavelengths so that ellipticity approximates to 1 at the three design wavelengths λ1, λ2 and λ3 like
(Third Design Example)
Next, a third design example of the invention shows another example of combination of optic axis angles and retardations of three phase difference layers below. In addition, wavelength dispersion characteristics of each of the phase difference layers are the same as those of the second design example. The optic axis angle and retardation of each of the phase difference layers are adjusted based on the first, second and third design guides described above. In the present design example, Rd21/Rd11 is set at 1.5 to 2.5 and Rd31/Rd11 is set at 1.8 to 2.2. As a result of that, the following can be obtained with respect to incident light with a wavelength λ1=405 nm.
Retardation Rd11 of first phase difference layer 11=153.04 nm, Optic axis angle θ1=38.83°,
Retardation Rd21 of second phase difference layer 12=359.84 nm, Optic axis angle θ2=89.55°, and
Retardation Rd31 of third phase difference layer 13=322.94 nm, Optic axis angle θ3=20.84°.
Similarly, values multiplied by ratios of retardations by the above design wavelengths are obtained with respect to λ2 and λ3.
Table 4 shows Stokes parameters indicating a polarization state in which light of these design wavelengths passes through each of the phase difference layers of the phase difference element and becomes light incident on the next layer.
Also, the third design example is designed so that ellipticity has a peak at each of the design wavelengths so that ellipticity approximates to 1 at the three design wavelengths λ1, λ2 and λ3 like
(Fourth Design Example)
Next, a fourth design example of the invention shows another example of combination of optic axis angles and retardations of three phase difference layers below. In addition, wavelength dispersion characteristics of each of the phase difference layers are the same as those of the second design example. The optic axis angle and retardation of each of the phase difference layers are adjusted based on the first, second and third design guides described above. In the present design example, Rd11/Rd21 is set at 1.8 to 2.2 and Rd21/Rd31 is set at 1.5 to 2.5. As a result of that, the following can be obtained with respect to incident light with a wavelength λ1=405 nm.
Retardation Rd11 of first phase difference layer 11=650.30 nm, Optic axis angle θ1=10.84°,
Retardation Rd21 of second phase difference layer 12=327.37 nm, Optic axis angle θ2=90.05°, and
Retardation Rd31 of third phase difference layer 13=147.13 nm, Optic axis angle θ3=45.31°.
Similarly, values multiplied by ratios of retardations by the above design wavelengths are obtained with respect to λ2 and λ3.
Table 5 shows Stokes parameters indicating a polarization state in which light of these design wavelengths passes through each of the phase difference layers of the phase difference element and becomes light incident on the next layer.
Next, an example of adapting a phase difference element of the invention to an optical head apparatus will be described.
Here, as shown in
Light of linear polarization of an outgoing path toward the optical disk 109 and emitted from the light sources 101, 102, 103 is converted into light of circular polarization with ellipticity of substantially 1 in all the light of three different wavelengths by passing through the phase difference element 1 of the invention. By passing through the phase difference element 1 of the invention again after the light is reflected by the optical disk 109, the light becomes light of linear polarization orthogonal to a polarization direction of the outgoing path and is reflected by the polarization beam splitter 107 in a direction guided to the optical detection system 110 efficiently. Thus, by using the phase difference element 1 of the invention, change to light of circular polarization can be made in the outgoing path and conversion to light of linear polarization orthogonal to the outgoing path can be made in an incoming path at the three different wavelengths.
A phase difference element according to the invention has characteristics for giving a peak at which ellipticity is approximated to 1 to light of linear polarization of three or more different wavelengths. Also, use for an optical disk with different standards for making reproduction and recording can be made by equipping an optical head apparatus for emitting light of three different wavelengths with this phase difference element.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-195796 | Jul 2007 | JP | national |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2008/063346 | Jul 2008 | US |
| Child | 12694548 | US |
