SEMICONDUCTOR LASER ELEMENT BREAKDOWN PREVENTION CIRCUIT, AND OPTICAL DISK DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent breakdown of a semiconductor laser element by abnormality of a light emission voltage.SOLUTION: A semiconductor laser element breakdown prevention circuit of an optical disk device comprises: a light emission instruction circuit part for outputting a light emission instruction signal for instructing light emission of a semiconductor laser element; a voltage monitoring circuit part for monitoring a light emission voltage supplied from a power source for the semiconductor laser element to an optical output control circuit part in order to make the semiconductor laser element emit light, and outputting a light emission permission signal for permitting the light emission of the semiconductor laser element when determined that there is no abnormality in the light emission voltage; and a light emission permission circuit part for making the optical output control circuit part cause the light emission of the semiconductor laser element only when the light emission instruction signal and the light emission permission signal are inputted.