Writing beam focus monitor

摘要

The present invention relates to a method and means for monitoring the focussing condition of the writing light beam impinging the writing surface of a recording medium. Systems for monitoring the focus condition of a light beam used in reproducing prerecorded information from a videodisc by a videodisc player operate by splitting off reflected light from the incident light beam path in a region where the incident beam is diverging. In this manner, the reflected beam entering the polarizing cube, placed in the diverging portion of the incident beam, produces a converging light beam diverted to the photodetector. Because of numerous problems in attempting to apply player concepts to writing machine, it has been common practice in the prior art of recording laser discs to periodically determine optimum focussing position for the various optical elements affecting focus by producing a series of test discs and playing back each disc or portion thereof corresponding to a particular combination of settings for the various optical parameters such as power and focus involved. The empirically derived conditions necessary to produce acceptable focussing conditions, however, are extremely costly due to the labor time involved in setting up and determining the optimum focus conditions as well as in the loss of videodisc production due to down time of the mastering machine. The present invention operates on the recognition of the fact that, although for all practical purposes a light beam from a laser device is collimated, it, in fact, is very slightly divergent as it emerges from the laser resulting from diffraction of the Gaussian intensity profile plane wave that exists between the laser resonator mirrors at the beam waist and from refraction as the output light traverses the thickness of the output mirror. Accordingly, since the beam exiting the laser tube is slightly divergent, the reflected light from the videodisc, even though a small in intensity, is conversely (provided the system is in focus) convergent as it passes in reverse direction through the diverging lens and on toward the output of the laser device and beyond to the conjugate point where it forms a real image of the source plane wave, thus eliminating the need for a relay lens. The present invention makes use of this slight divergence and convergence of the incident and reflected beams, respectively, at the exit end of the modulator to effect monitoring of the focus condition of the writing beam.