Abstract: The recording/reproducing quality of a multilayer optical information recording medium deteriorate not only due to interference from other layers caused by light converging on other information layers but also due to stray light converging on the surface of a protective layer and stray light that does not converge on other information layers but rather returns to an optical head through the same optical path as the reproducing signal. The thickness composition of intermediate layers (106, 107, and 108) and the protective layer (109) in a four-layer optical information recording medium are set so as to eliminate the influence of interference caused by stray light from other layers reflected up to three times.

Abstract: A distance control circuit keeps constant the distance between a condensing member and the surface of an optical disk using return light from a region where near field light is generated. Additionally, a focus control circuit controls the focus position of the near field light to sustain it at the position of an information layer using reflection light from the information layer.

Abstract: An optical information recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprises: a focusing unit (11) which collects generated near-field light on an optical disc (1); a first detector (17) which receives light reflected by the optical disc (1) and outputs an electric signal according to the quantity of the received light; and a distance control circuit (22) which controls the distance between the focusing unit (11) and a light entrance surface of the optical disc (1), using the electric signal that is output from the first detector (17), and the optical disc (1) has at least N (N is an integer of 2 or greater) number of information layers, and a distance d0 from the light entrance surface to a first information layer which is most distant from the light entrance surface and a distance dn from the light entrance surface to an Nth information layer which is closest to the light entrance surface satisfy the relationship of dn?d0×(1/25).

Abstract: An optical information reproducing device is provided with a light focusing unit (8) for generating near-field light, a signal quality measuring circuit (22) for measuring reproduction signal quality of the optical information recording medium using the near-field light generated by the light focusing unit, a gap length determining circuit (17a) for determining a gap length between the light focusing unit and a surface of the optical information recording medium as a set value based on a measurement result on the reproduction signal quality in the signal quality measuring circuit, and a gap control circuit (24) for controlling a gap between the light focusing unit and the surface of the optical information recording medium based on the set value determined in the gap length determining circuit. Information is reproduced from the optical information recording medium using the near-field light generated by the light focusing unit.

Abstract: An information recording medium according to the present invention includes a plurality of recording layers, and a test area for determining a recording power of a laser light for each of the plurality of recording layers, in which a first test area of a first layer and a second test area of a second layer adjacent to the first layer are provided at different radial positions.

Abstract: A laser drive circuit is utilized to record data with a good signal quality over a wide range of linear velocities to an optical information recording medium. Specifically, the laser drive circuit of an optical information recording apparatus sets a ratio of a recording power to a power at which a reproduction signal quality reaches a threshold value to be relatively low at low velocities, and relatively high at high velocities.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical information recording apparatus and method capable of effectively determining appropriate recording parameters in a short time with favorable efficiency, when recording information onto an optical disk having different information recording conditions and information recording characteristics. An information recording condition or an information recording characteristic of an optical disk 1 is identified, and a recording pulse position is corrected at a correction accuracy according to the identifies information recording condition or information recording characteristic, such that a recording mark is formed in a predetermined position.

Abstract: An optical information recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprises: a focusing unit (11) which collects generated near-field light on an optical disc (1); a first detector (17) which receives light reflected by the optical disc (1) and outputs an electric signal according to the quantity of the received light; and a distance control circuit (22) which controls the distance between the focusing unit (11) and a light entrance surface of the optical disc (1), using the electric signal that is output from the first detector (17), and the optical disc (1) has at least N (N is an integer of 2 or greater) number of information layers, and a distance d0 from the light entrance surface to a first information layer which is most distant from the light entrance surface and a distance dn from the light entrance surface to an Nth information layer which is closest to the light entrance surface satisfy the relationship of dn?d0×(1/25).

Abstract: An information recording medium according to the present invention includes a plurality of recording layers, and a test area for determining a recording power of a laser light for each of the plurality of recording layers, in which a first test area of a first layer and a second test area of a second layer adjacent to the first layer are provided at different radial positions.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical information recording apparatus and method capable of effectively determining appropriate recording parameters in a short time with favorable efficiency, when recording information onto an optical disk having different information recording conditions and information recording characteristics. An information recording condition or an information recording characteristic of an optical disk 1 is identified, and a recording pulse position is corrected at a correction accuracy according to the identifies information recording condition or information recording characteristic, such that a recording mark is formed in a predetermined position.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical information recording apparatus and method capable of effectively determining appropriate recording parameters in a short time with favorable efficiency, when recording information onto an optical disk having different information recording conditions and information recording characteristics. An information recording condition or an information recording characteristic of an optical disk 1 is identified, and a recording pulse position is corrected at a correction accuracy according to the identifies information recording condition or information recording characteristic, such that a recording mark is formed in a predetermined position.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical information recording apparatus and method capable of effectively determining appropriate recording parameters in a short time with favorable efficiency, when recording information onto an optical disk having different information recording conditions and information recording characteristics. An information recording condition or an information recording characteristic of an optical disk 1 is identified, and a recording pulse position is corrected at a correction accuracy according to the identifies information recording condition or information recording characteristic, such that a recording mark is formed in a predetermined position.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical information recording apparatus and method capable of effectively determining appropriate recording parameters in a short time with favorable efficiency, when recording information onto an optical disk having different information recording conditions and information recording characteristics. An information recording condition or an information recording characteristic of an optical disk 1 is identified, and a recording pulse position is corrected at a correction accuracy according to the identifies information recording condition or information recording characteristic, such that a recording mark is formed in a predetermined position.

Abstract: A distance control circuit (23) keeps constant the distance between a condensing member (11) and the surface of an optical disk (1) using return light from a region where near field light is generated. Under that state, a focus control circuit (27) focus-controls the focus position of the near field light to sustain it at the position of an information layer using reflection light from the information layer. Consequently, information can be recorded and reproduced stably with the near field light without causing erroneous erasure or destruction of information recorded on the information layer (2) even if locally varying irregularities occur on the surface of the optical disk (1) or uneven thickness exists in the protective layer (3).

Abstract: The information recording medium (100) of the present invention includes: an information layer (110) including a recording layer (115) capable of changing its phase containing at least one selected from Ge—Te, Sb—Te and Ge—Sb, and two or more dielectric layers (117, 118) disposed on the optical beam incident side with respect to the recording layer (115); and a transparent layer (102) disposed on the optical beam incident side with respect to the information layer (110) adjacent to the information layer, made of a transparent material with respect to the optical beam, and having a refractive index n of 1.75 or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical information recording apparatus and method capable of effectively determining appropriate recording parameters in a short time with favorable efficiency, when recording information onto an optical disk having different information recording conditions and information recording characteristics. An information recording condition or an information recording characteristic of an optical disk 1 is identified, and a recording pulse position is corrected at a correction accuracy according to the identifies information recording condition or information recording characteristic, such that a recording mark is formed in a predetermined position.

Abstract: An apparatus 100 according to the present invention is designed to read and/or write data from/on an information recording medium 1 using near-field light. The apparatus 100 includes: a light source 3 for emitting laser light; a condensing section 7 for producing the near-field light based on the laser light; a detecting section 22, 23 for detecting the relative positions of the condensing section 7 and the information recording medium 1; and a control section 14 for controlling the position of the condensing section 7. In starting a gap servo operation, the control section 14 controls the position of the condensing section 7 so that the gap servo operation is started at a different location on the information recording medium 1 from any other location where the gap servo operation has ever been started.

Abstract: The recording/reproducing quality of a multilayer optical information recording medium deteriorate not only due to interference from other layers caused by light converging on other information layers but also due to stray light converging on the surface of a protective layer and stray light that does not converge on other information layers but rather returns to an optical head through the same optical path as the reproducing signal. The thickness composition of intermediate layers (106, 107, and 108) and the protective layer (109) in a four-layer optical information recording medium are set so as to eliminate the influence of interference caused by stray light from other layers reflected up to three times.

Abstract: An acceleration pulse waveform adjusting circuit (10) and a deceleration pulse waveform adjusting circuit (11) change the amplitude of a track jump pulse in accordance to linear velocity, so as to stably carry out track jump over a wide range of linear velocities. In case tracking gain is to be changed according to the linear velocity, the acceleration pulse waveform adjusting circuit (10) and the deceleration pulse waveform adjusting circuit (11) make the amplitude of acceleration pulse larger and the amplitude of deceleration pulse smaller, respectively, when the tracking gain is high, so as to stably carry out track jump operation with the given tracking gain.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical information recording apparatus and method capable of effectively determining appropriate recording parameters in a short time with favorable efficiency, when recording information onto an optical disk having different information recording conditions and information recording characteristics. An information recording condition or an information recording characteristic of an optical disk 1 is identified, and a recording pulse position is corrected at a correction accuracy according to the identifies information recording condition or information recording characteristic, such that a recording mark is formed in a predetermined position.