Calculation of focal positions in an optical head using a four-beam laser diode

Calculation method for focal positions in a multi-beam optical head using a multi-beam laser diode is introduced. In this calculation model, focal positions were so calculated that a light source of each laser beam with a specific source height and an astigmatic difference was imaged by optical lenses and a beam shaping prism. Calculated results show that four focal positions are located each other with defocus along the optical axis due to the curvature of field of lenses. Astigmatic differences in focal spots caused by the laser diode characteristics can be decreased by almost zero with a displacement of a collimator lens along the optical axis.