INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM AND INFORMATION REPRODUCING APPARATUS

摘要

An information recording medium and an information reproducing apparatus capable of performing information reproduction and tracking control by using near-field light. A projecting data bit (12) having a triangular cross-section perpendicular to the direction of the track is formed as an information unit on an information recording medium (3). Near-field light produced by a reproduction probe (1) is scattered with a directivity by the slants of the data bit (12), and the reflected and scattered light is detected by reproduction photodetectors (6, 7) arranged symmetrically on both sides of the center axis of the reproduction probe (1) along the track. The detection signal is converted to a differential signal by a differential circuit (20) and the outputted differential signal drives an actuator (22) through a tracking signal generating circuit (21), and the position of the reproduction probe (1) is controlled for tracking control.