An optical memory playback apparatus, comprising a self-coupling semiconductor laser element, said laser element emitting a laser beam in a single longitudinal mode of emission, an optical system disposed on the output beam side of said semiconductor laser element, an information recording medium disposed at a focal point of said optical system, means for detecting the variation in the characteristic of said semiconductor laser element, and a spatially uneven phase plate interposed in said optical system, whereby reproduction of information from said information recording medium is effected by converting the single longitudinal mode of emission of the laser beam issued from the semiconductor laser element into a random multi-mode emission while the laser beam is on the way to the information recording medium and subsequently allowing the laser beam reflected by the information recording medium to return to the semiconductor laser element.