Optical pickup device, optical information recording and reproducing apparatus, expander lens, coupling lens and chromatic aberration correcting optical element

摘要

An optical pickup apparatus includes first and light sources; an objective lens; a spherical aberration correcting optical unit; and a chromatic aberration correcting optical element which includes a diffractive surface on at least one of optical surfaces of the chromatic aberration correcting optical element such that a diffractive structure which is constructed by a plurality of ring-shaped zones separated by fine steps is formed on the diffractive surface, wherein the depth of steps along an optical axis is designed so that n2 which is a diffraction order of a diffracted ray having a largest diffraction efficiency among diffracted rays caused when the second light flux enters into the diffractive structure, is lower order than n1 which is a diffraction order of a diffracted ray having a largest diffraction efficiency among diffracted light rays caused when the second light flux enters into the diffractive structure.