Abstract: An optical recording medium with a high productivity is provided which can certainly record/reproduce data even when a blue or blue-violet laser beam is used as an irradiation light. An optical recording medium has a substrate and a recording layer. The recording layer includes a recording portion and a coating portion. The recording portion and the coating portion are all made substantially from Bi and O. The ratio of the number of O atoms to the total number of Bi atoms and O atoms of the coating portion is less than that of the recording portion. The ratio of the number of O atoms of the recording portion is in the range of from 62% to 77%. The ratio of the number of O atoms to the total number of Bi atoms and O atoms of the coating portion is in the range of from 60% to 70%.

Abstract: A multi-layered optical recording medium is provided of which the manufacturing costs is significantly reduced. The multi-layered optical recording medium has multiple information recording layers and at least two layers of the information recording layers have the same medium-side address information. This configuration allows for reducing the types of master stampers and thus reducing manufacturing costs.

Abstract: When a space region shorter than the radius of a beam spot is formed, pre-heating with an assist pulse is not performed, and an off pulse pattern is fixed at a base power level. When a space region longer than the radius of the beam spot and shorter than the diameter of the beam spot is formed, an assist pulse is applied to the end of the space region to be formed. The length of the assist pulse is made greater, the longer the space region to be formed. Further, when a space region longer than the diameter of the beam spot is formed, an assist pulse is applied to the end of the space region to be formed, and the length of the assist pulse is kept constant regardless of the length of the space region to be formed.

Abstract: An inexpensive optical recording medium is provided that can ensure recording and reproduction of data even in case of using blue or blue-violet laser light as irradiation light and can be stored for a long time. The optical recording medium includes a recording layer. The recording layer includes a recording portion and a covering portion covering at least one side of the recording portion in a thickness direction of the recording portion. The recording portion and the covering portion are substantially formed from a plurality of types of common constituent elements. Composition ratios of the constituent elements are different between the recording portion and the covering portion.

Abstract: An optical recording medium includes a support substrate, and a light transmission layer 12 that is disposed so as to come in contact with the support substrate. At least one of a refractive index of the support substrate and a refractive index of the light transmission layer, and an extinction coefficient of the support substrate and an extinction coefficient of the light transmission layer is different. As such, according to the invention, a reflective layer is not formed between the support substrate and the light transmission layer, such that the support substrate and the light transmission layer directly come in contact with each other. Accordingly, since at least one of the refractive index and the extinction coefficient is different, reflection occurs at the interface between the support substrate and the light transmission layer. Therefore, data held by a plurality of pits, that are arranged on the support substrate in a spiral shape or a concentric shape, can be correctly read out.

Abstract: According to the invention, a record mark is formed by: using one ON-pulse pattern and one ON-pulse pattern following it when the record mark to be formed is shorter than a specified length X (nT<X); and using two ON-pulse patterns and two ON-pulse patterns respectively following them when the record mark to be formed is longer than the specified length X (nT>X). This makes is possible to secure a heat amount per unit time sufficiently in forming a short record mark even when a targeted recording linear velocity is high. Also, an unwanted heat pocket becomes hard to arise in the record layer even when a sufficient heat amount per unit time is secured in forming a long record mark. Therefore, it becomes possible to form a record mark having a good shape even when data is recorded at a high linear velocity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are set forth capable of processing a substrate with a high uniformity within the surface area even for a thin feeding layer. The method comprises arranging a counter electrode and the substrate to confront each other; providing a membrane between the counter electrode and the substrate to define a substrate side region and a counter electrode side region. The substrate side region and the counter electrode side region are capable of accommodating respective electrolytes. The substrate side region and the counter electrode side region are supplied with respective electrolytes having different specific resistances. A processing current is also supplied between the substrate and the counter electrode.

Abstract: An optical recording medium includes a substrate, a first recording layer formed on the substrate and containing an element selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, C, Sn, Zn and Cu as a primary component, and a second recording layer located in the vicinity of the first recording layer and containing Al as a primary component, the optical recording medium being constituted to be irradiated by a laser beam projected onto the side opposite from the substrate and the total thickness of the first recording layer and the second recording layer being equal to or thinner than 40 nm. According to the thus constituted optical recording medium, it is possible to decrease a noise level and improve a C/N ratio in a reproduced signal.

Abstract: A plating method is capable of preferentially precipitating a plated film fully and uniformly in trenches and via holes according to a mechanical and electrochemical process, and of easily forming a plated film having higher flatness surface without being affected by variations in the shape of trenches and via holes. The plating method includes a first plating process and a second plating process. The second plating process is performed by filling a plating solution between an anode and a substrate, with a porous member placed in the plating solution, repeatedly bringing the porous member and the substrate into and out of contact with each other, passing a current between the anode and the substrate while the porous member is being held in contact with the substrate.

Abstract: A method for setting recording power of recording light, capable of an appropriate setting for a multilayer optical recording medium. The recording power of the recording light for an information recording layer of the multilayer optical recording medium to be irradiated with, is set by: evaluating an information recording layer to be evaluated for recording power when all the information recording layer(s) lying closer to a light incident surface than the information recording layer to be evaluated does is/are in a low transmittance state; evaluating the information recording layer to be evaluated for recording power when all the information recording layer(s) lying closer to the light incident surface than the information recording layer to be evaluated does is/are in a high transmittance state; and determining ground information for setting recording power, based on these values of the recording power.

Abstract: A plating method and apparatus for a substrate fills a metal, e.g., copper, into a fine interconnection pattern formed in a semiconductor substrate. The apparatus has a substrate holding portion 36 horizontally holding and rotating a substrate with its surface to be plated facing upward. A seal material 90 contacts a peripheral edge portion of the surface, sealing the portion in a watertight manner. A cathode electrode 88 passes an electric current upon contact with the substrate. A cathode portion 38 rotates integrally with the substrate holding portion 36. An electrode arm portion 30 is above the cathode portion 38 and movable horizontally and vertically and has an anode 98 face-down. Plating liquid is poured into a space between the surface to be plated and the anode 98 brought close to the surface to be plated. Thus, plating treatment and treatments incidental thereto can be performed by a single unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a light-receiving element for receiving a reflection of laser light irradiated to a rotating multi-layer recording medium having a plurality of information recording layers stacked one over another and for converting the light into an electrical signal, an optical head having the element for recording information in the multi-layer recording medium or reproducing information recorded therein, and an optical recording/reproducing apparatus and a method of optical recording and reproduction. The invention provides a light-receiving element, an optical head, an optical recording/reproducing apparatus, and a method of optical recording and reproduction which make it possible to eliminate a noise component superimposed on reflected light from a multi-layer recording medium to reproduce an RF signal of high quality.

Abstract: An acid copper plating solution and plating method are disclosed. The acid copper plating solution comprises copper ions, an organic acid or an inorganic acid, chloride ions, high molecular weight surfactant which controls the electrodeposition reaction, and a sulfur-containing saturated organic compound which promotes the electrocoating rate, wherein the high molecular weight surfactant comprises two or more types with different hydrophobicities. The plating method is a method for forming a plating film on a conductor layer, which is formed on at least a part of a structural object having a concave-convex pattern on a semiconductor substrate, and comprises providing a cathode potential to the conductor layer and supplying a plating solution which electrically connects an anode with the conductor layer, wherein the plating solution contains 25-75 g/l of copper ion and 0.4 mol/l of an organic acid or inorganic acid and an electric resistor is installed between the conductor layer and the anode.

Abstract: A plating method and apparatus for a substrate fills a metal, e.g., copper, into a fine interconnection pattern formed in a semiconductor substrate. The apparatus has a substrate holding portion 36 horizontally holding and rotating a substrate with its surface to be plated facing upward. A seal material 90 contacts a peripheral edge portion of the surface, sealing the portion in a watertight manner. A cathode electrode 88 passes an electric current upon contact with the substrate. A cathode portion 38 rotates integrally with the substrate holding portion 36. An electrode arm portion 30 is above the cathode portion 38 and movable horizontally and vertically and has an anode 98 face-down. Plating liquid is poured into a space between the surface to be plated and the anode 98 brought close to the surface to be plated. Thus, plating treatment and treatments incidental thereto can be performed by a single unit.

Abstract: When there is a defect area in a specific recording layer, recording of information is continued to restrain reduction in a recording rate. In an optical recording method for recording information on a multilayer optical recording medium having a plurality of recording layers by irradiating the recording layer with a beam spot, when a defect area is detected while the information is recorded on a specific recording layer selected from the plurality of recording layers, an escape recording layer which is selected from among the other recording layers except for the specific recording layer is irradiated with the beam spot to continue recording the information.

Abstract: A reliable optical recording medium is provided which includes an information layer exhibiting small changes in the optical properties even during long-term storage. The optical recording medium includes the information layer including a recording film having an extinction coefficient of 0.4 or less at the wavelength of a laser beam used for recording and reproducing. The information layer further includes a light absorbing film having an extinction coefficient of 1.5 or less at the wavelength of the laser beam, and the extinction coefficient of the light absorbing film is greater than that of the recording film.

Abstract: The optical recording medium includes a first information layer including a first recording film having an extinction coefficient of 0.4 or less at a wavelength of a laser beam used for recording and reproducing, and a second information layer including a second recording film consisting essentially of the same constituent elements as those of the first recording film and having an extinction coefficient of 0.4 or less. Among the first and second information layers, the first information layer is located further away from a laser beam-incident surface than the second information layer located closest to the incident surface. The first information layer further includes a light absorbing film having an extinction coefficient of 1.5 or more at the wavelength of the laser beam, the extinction coefficient of the light absorbing film being greater than that of the first recording film.

Abstract: An optical recording medium is provided, which are capable of recording and reproducing data with reliability even when blue or blue violet laser light is used as irradiation light. The optical recording medium includes a substrate, and a recording layer formed over the substrate and having its optical characteristic changed by irradiation of the laser light. The recording layer is substantially composed of Bi and O, and the ratio of the number of the O atoms to the total number of Bi and O atoms in the recording layer is 63-73%.

Abstract: An optical recording medium capable of both recording in conformity to BD standard and recording/reading in conformity to DVD or CD standard. The optical recording medium includes: at least one recording layer located in the range of 40 to 120 ?m away from a light incident surface, the recording layer having a light absorption characteristic which enables write-once recording using a laser optical system having a wavelength in the range of 400 to 410 nm and a numerical aperture in the range of 0.80 to 0.90 and having a light absorption characteristic which disables write-once recording using a laser optical system having a wavelength in the range of 620 to 660 nm and a numerical aperture in the range of 0.55 to 0.

Abstract: An optical recording and reading method capable of enhancing the design flexibility of recording layers of an optical recording medium and performing accurate optical recording and reading operations. The optical recording and reading method is one for recording and reading an optical recording medium having three or more recording layers by irradiating the same with laser light using an optical recording and reading apparatus. When an optical recording medium is mounted on the optical recording and reading apparatus, the positions of the recording layers of the optical recording medium are measured using the laser light.