Integrated optical system and method of manufacturing the same and information recording and/or reproducing apparatus using the integrated optical system

Abstract

An optical system and an information apparatus using the optical system are provided. The optical system includes an optical bench on which a light source and a photodetector including a main photodetector receiving the light are mounted. A lens unit is coupled to the optical bench, and an optical path separating member separates an optical path of light emitted from the light source and propagating toward the lens unit and an optical path of light incident from the lens unit. The optical system may include a monitor photodetector and/or an optical path forming unit coupled to the optical bench. The monitor photodetector receives a portion of the light emitted from the light source. The optical path forming unit includes a first mirror reflecting the light emitted from the light source and a second mirror reflecting the light incident from the lens unit and reflected by the first mirror.

1 . An integrated optical system comprising:
 an optical bench on which a light source for generating light and a monitor photodetector that receives a portion of the light from the light source are mounted thereon;   a lens unit coupled to the optical bench; and   an optical path separating member separating an optical path of light emitted from the light source that propagates toward the lens unit and an optical path of light incident from the lens unit.   
   
   
       2 . The integrated optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the monitor photodetector is disposed on a bottom surface of the optical bench, and the light source is mounted on a mount and spaced apart from the bottom surface of the optical bench. 
   
   
       3 . The integrated optical system of  claim 2 , wherein the monitor photodetector is disposed to be parallel to the light source, slanted toward the light source or spaced from the bottom surface of the optical bench. 
   
   
       4 . The integrated optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is mounted on a mount. 
   
   
       5 . The integrated optical system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a main photodetector mounted on the optical bench; and   connection elements for electrically connecting the light source, the main photodetector, the monitor photodetector and external circuits, wherein the connection elements are disposed on a bottom surface of the optical bench.   
   
   
       6 . The integrated optical system of  claim 11 , wherein the lens unit comprises at least one of a refractive lens, a diffractive lens and a gradient index (GRIN) lens. 
   
   
       7 . The integrated optical system of  claim 6 , wherein the lens unit comprises a hybrid lens comprising the refractive lens and the diffractive lens. 
   
   
       8 . The integrated optical system of  claim 6 , wherein the lens unit comprises the refractive lens and the diffractive lens, wherein the refractive lens functions as an objective lens and the diffractive lens functions as a collimating lens. 
   
   
       9 . The integrated optical system of  claim 6 , wherein the lens unit uses the refractive lens, the diffractive lens or the GRIN lens functioning a collimating lens so that the integrated optical system can be used as an optical module for an optical pickup. 
   
   
       10 . The integrated optical system of  claim 6 , wherein the lens unit comprises the diffractive lens, functioning as a collimating lens, disposed at one surface of a lens holder and transitioning between an optical module for an optical pickup and an optical pickup is performed by selectively inserting the refractive lens functioning as an objective lens into the lens holder. 
   
   
       11 . A method of manufacturing the integrated optical system of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 preparing an optical bench wafer on which the optical bench is formed;   preparing an optical path forming unit wafer on which the optical path forming unit is formed;   bonding the optical path forming unit wafer to the optical bench wafer; and   dicing the bonded wafers to obtain an optical bench and optical path forming unit assembly.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the monitor photodetector is disposed on a bottom surface of the optical bench, and the light source is mounted on a mount and spaced apart from the bottom surface of the optical bench. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the monitor photodetector is mounted to be parallel to the light source, slanted toward the light source or spaced apart from the bottom surface of the optical bench. 
   
   
       14 . A method of manufacturing the integrated optical system of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 preparing an optical bench wafer on which the optical bench is formed;   attaching the optical path forming unit to the optical bench formed on the optical bench wafer; and   dicing the optical bench wafer to which the optical path forming unit is attached to obtain an optical bench and optical path forming unit assembly.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the optical path forming unit is formed on a wafer. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the monitor photodetector is disposed on a bottom surface of the optical bench, and the light source is mounted on a mount and spaced apart from the bottom surface of the optical bench. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the monitor photodetector is mounted to be parallel to the light source, slanted toward the light source or spaced apart from the bottom surface of the optical bench. 
   
   
       18 . A method of manufacturing the integrated optical system of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 preparing an optical bench wafer on which the optical bench is formed;   dicing the optical bench wafer; and   attaching the optical path forming unit to the optical bench to obtain an optical bench and optical path forming unit assembly.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the monitor photodetector is disposed on a bottom surface of the optical bench, and the light source is mounted on a mount and spaced apart from the bottom surface of the optical bench. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the monitor photodetector is mounted to be parallel to the light source, slanted toward the light source, or spaced apart from the bottom surface of the optical bench. 
   
   
       21 . An information recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising:
 the integrated optical system of  claim 1 ,   an information storage medium rotating unit rotating an information storage medium;   a driving unit driving the integrated optical system and the information storage medium rotating unit; and   a control unit controlling the driving unit to control focusing and tracking servos.   
   
   
       22 . The information recording and/or reproducing apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the lens unit comprises a hybrid lens comprising a refractive lens and a diffractive lens, and the integrated optical system is used as an optical pickup. 
   
   
       23 . The information recording and/or reproducing apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the lens unit comprises a refractive lens functioning as an objective lens and a diffractive lens functioning as a collimating lens, wherein the refractive lens is disposed in a lens holder, the diffractive lens is disposed at one surface of the lens holder and the integrated optical system is used as an optical pickup. 
   
   
       24 . The information recording and/or reproducing apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising an objective lens focusing incident light on the information storage medium, wherein the lens unit functions as a collimating lens and the integrated optical system is used as an optical module. 
   
   
       25 . The information recording and/or reproducing apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the lens unit is structured such that a diffractive lens functioning as a collimating lens is formed at one surface of a lens holder. 
   
   
       26 . The information recording and/or reproducing apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the monitor photodetector is disposed on a bottom surface of the optical bench, and the light source is mounted on a mount and spaced apart from the bottom surface of the optical bench. 
   
   
       27 . The information recording and/or reproducing apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the monitor photodetector is disposed to be parallel to the light source, slanted toward the light source or spaced apart from the bottom surface of the optical bench.