OPTICAL HEAD HAVING A PRISM

摘要

An optical head wherein a required astigmatism can be obtained readily to facilitate production thereof and the linear distance between a face of an information record medium and a light receiving element is reduced to reduce the overall size and weight of the optical head. The optical head comprises a prism having a parallelogram shape in side elevation. The prism has a reflecting/transmitting face extending at an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to an optical axis to the information record face for reflecting light from a light source toward the information record face, first and second reflecting faces extending perpendicularly to the optical axis for successively reflecting light transmitted thereto through the transmitting face, and a transmission face extending in parallel to the reflecting/transmitting face. Light emerging from the transmitting face of the prism is received and converted into an electrical signal by a light receiving element.