Abstract: An information recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a laser light source from which a laser beam having a wavelength of from 220 nm to 280 nm exits; and a converging lens unit disposed at a nearfield area of a recording medium and upon which the laser beam from the laser light source is incident. The converging lens unit includes an objective lens and a solid immersion lens. The solid immersion lens is disposed between the objective lens and the recording medium, and is formed of a highly refractive material having a high transmittance. The information recording and/or reproducing apparatus records an information signal onto or reproduces an information signal from the recording medium by irradiating the recording medium with the laser beam from the laser light source.

Abstract: A method of producing a stamper, an optical recording medium produced by molding using the stamper, and a method of producing the same, wherein a base member having a mirror polished main surface and comprising silicon or glass is formed with a resist film; the resist film is exposed by a focused electron beam, an ultraviolet ray laser, etc. and developed so as to form a resist film of a pattern corresponding to relief shapes; the mirror surface of the base member is processed to relief shapes (projecting regions and recessed regions) by dry etching etc. using the obtained resist film as a mask so as to obtain a stamper; the obtained stamper is used for injection molding to form a medium substrate; and an optical recording multilayer film and a protective layer are formed to thereby produce an optical recording medium.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus has an exposure laser light source, a detection laser light source, a converging lens assembly, detector and a controller. The exposure laser light source emits an exposure laser beam. The detection laser light source emits a detection laser beam. The converging lens assembly receives the exposure laser beam and the detection laser beam, and is disposed in a near-field region of the exposure surface of a negative. The detector detects a linearly polarized component of a detection laser beam reflected off the distal end surface of the converging lens assembly. The controller controls the distance between the distal end surface of the converging lens assembly and the exposure surface on the basis of a detection signal from the detector.

Abstract: A mastering apparatus for forming a pit string based on recording data on an optical-recording-medium master by a heat recording method using laser-light irradiation, the mastering apparatus. The mastering apparatus includes: laser-light-source means for emitting laser light at the timing based on first recording data in order to form a pit; light-intensity control means for controlling light intensity of the laser light output from the laser-light-source means on the basis of second recording data; and optical system means for guiding the laser light onto the optical-recording-medium master through the light-intensity control means.

Abstract: A stamper suppressed in surface roughness, uneven thickness, and deviation of circularity in inner circumference, a method of producing the same, an optical recording medium produced by molding using the stamper, and a method of producing the same, wherein a base member having a mirror polished main surface and comprising silicon or glass is formed with a resist film; the resist film is exposed and developed so as to form a resist film of a pattern corresponding to relief shapes; the mirror surface of the base member is processed to relief shapes (projecting regions and recessed regions) by dry etching etc. using the obtained resist film as a mask so as to obtain a stamper; the obtained stamper is used for injection molding to form a medium substrate; and an optical recording multilayer film and a protective layer are formed to thereby produce an optical recording medium.

Abstract: A stamper suppressed in surface roughness, uneven thickness, and deviation of circularity in inner circumference, a method of producing the same, an optical recording medium produced by molding using the stamper, and a method of producing the same, wherein a base member having a mirror polished main surface and comprising silicon or glass is formed with a resist film; the resist film is exposed by a focused electron beam, an ultraviolet ray laser, etc. and developed so as to form a resist film of a pattern corresponding to relief shapes; the mirror surface of the base member is processed to relief shapes (projecting regions and recessed regions) by dry etching etc. using the obtained resist film as a mask so as to obtain a stamper; the obtained stamper is used for injection molding to form a medium substrate; and an optical recording multilayer film and a protective layer are formed to thereby produce an optical recording medium.

Abstract: A stamper suppressed in surface roughness, uneven thickness, and deviation of circularity in inner circumference, a method of producing the same, an optical recording medium produced by molding using the stamper, and a method of producing the same, wherein a base member having a mirror polished main surface and comprising silicon or glass is formed with a resist film; the resist film is exposed by a focused electron beam, an ultraviolet ray laser, etc. and developed so as to form a resist film of a pattern corresponding to relief shapes; the mirror surface of the base member is processed to relief shapes (projecting regions and recessed regions) by dry etching etc. using the obtained resist film as a mask so as to obtain a stamper; the obtained stamper is used for injection molding to form a medium substrate; and an optical recording multilayer film and a protective layer are formed to thereby produce an optical recording medium.

Abstract: A photolithography apparatus includes a laser beam source, a focusing lens, a detecting unit, and a control unit. The laser beam source emits a laser beam. The focusing lens is disposed in the near field of an exposure surface of an exposure substrate for receiving the laser beam emitted from the laser beam source. The detecting unit detects one linearly polarized component of the laser beam reflected from the distal end surface of the focusing lens. The control unit controls the distance between the distal end surface of the focusing lens and the exposure surface based on a detection signal supplied from the detecting unit.

Abstract: It is intended to perform a focusing control reliably in near-field recording in, for example, an exposing apparatus that performs exposure of an original disc by near-field recording (NFR). An objective lens is moved based on a light quantity detection result of an interference light beam that is produced by interference between light reflected by a disc-shaped recording medium and light reflected by the exit surface of the objective lens.

Abstract: To control the gap length in the near-field area with a high accuracy, the exposure apparatus includes an exposure light source (11) to emit an exposure laser light, a gap length controlling light source (16) to emit a gap length controlling laser light different in wavelength from the exposure laser light, a condenser lens (17a), collimator lens (17b) and a dichroic mirror (12) to project the gap length controlling laser light to a condenser lens (14) and solid immersion lens (SIL) (15), and a photodetector (22) to detect the intensity of a return part of the gap length controlling laser light from an outgoing surface (15b) of the SIL (15). Thus in the exposure apparatus, the gap between the SIL (15) and object (100) is controlled based on the detected return light intensity from the photodetector (22).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of manufacturing an original plate used for manufacturing optical disc, which comprises: exposing and developing a photoresist layer provided on a base to form uneven pattern on the photoresist layer; irradiating ultraviolet rays to the photoresist layer where the uneven pattern is formed; and irradiating infrared rays onto the photoresist layer after ultraviolet rays have been irradiated thereto.

Abstract: An information recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a laser light source from which a laser beam having a wavelength of from 220 nm to 280 nm exits; and a converging lens unit disposed at a nearfield area of a recording medium and upon which the laser beam from the laser light source is incident. The converging lens unit includes an objective lens and a solid immersion lens. The solid immersion lens is disposed between the objective lens and the recording medium, and is formed of a highly refractive material having a high transmittance. The information recording and/or reproducing apparatus records an information signal onto or reproduces an information signal from the recording medium by irradiating the recording medium with the laser beam from the laser light source.

Abstract: In an exposure apparatus and an exposure method, a disc master to be used in the preparation of an optical disc is applied to an exposure device, making it possible to perform exposure on a disc master for an optical disc which is substantially improved in recording density. An exposure laser beam by SHG having a wavelength of 300 nm or less is modulated by a modulator, and applied by near field effect to a disc master by using an objective lens having a numerical aperture of 1.0 or more.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus has an exposure laser light source, a detection laser light source, a converging lens assembly, detector and a controller. The exposure laser light source emits an exposure laser beam. The detection laser light source emits a detection laser beam. The converging lens assembly receives the exposure laser beam and the detection laser beam, and is disposed in a near-field region of the exposure surface of a negative. The detector detects a linearly polarized component of a detection laser beam reflected off the distal end surface of the converging lens assembly. The controller controls the distance between the distal end surface of the converging lens assembly and the exposure surface on the basis of a detection signal from the detector.

Abstract: A photolithography apparatus includes a laser beam source, a focusing lens, a detecting unit, and a control unit. The laser beam source emits a laser beam. The focusing lens is disposed in the near field of an exposure surface of an exposure substrate for receiving the laser beam emitted from the laser beam source. The detecting unit detects one linearly polarized component of the laser beam reflected from the distal end surface of the focusing lens. The control unit controls the distance between the distal end surface of the focusing lens and the exposure surface based on a detection signal supplied from the detecting unit.

Abstract: A stamper suppressed in surface roughness, uneven thickness, and deviation of circularity in inner circumference, a method of producing the same, an optical recording medium produced by molding using the stamper, and a method of producing the same, wherein a base member having a mirror polished main surface and comprising silicon or glass is formed with a resist film; the resist film is exposed by a focused electron beam, an ultraviolet ray laser, etc. and developed so as to form a resist film of a pattern corresponding to relief shapes; the mirror surface of the base member is processed to relief shapes (projecting regions and recessed regions) by dry etching etc. using the obtained resist film as a mask so as to obtain a stamper; the obtained stamper is used for injection molding to form a medium substrate; and an optical recording multilayer film and a protective layer are formed to thereby produce an optical recording medium.

Abstract: An optical recording medium, in which a signal is recorded in both of a groove and a land, has a disconnected portion of a predetermined interval in the groove and the land so that a control signal is detected by this disconnected portion.

Abstract: A beam irradiation apparatus includes a beam generation source (41) for generating at least either of an optical beam, an electron beam and an ion beam, and a focusing lens (48) for focusing a beam emitted from the beam generation source (41). The beam irradiation apparatus includes at least first and second focus control mechanisms (71) and (72) each controlling a focus position of the beam with respect to the same lens system forming the focusing lens, so as to focus the beam onto an irradiation object (40) by using the focusing lens (48), whereby it possible to obtain a minute beam spot and to conduct a reliable, and stable focus control.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium, an optical information recording method and an optical information recording apparatus are able to prevent one laser beam of two laser beams from affecting the other laser beam by an offset. In an optical disc in which a groove whose one-side is wobbled or modulated only is sequentially formed by turning on or off one laser beam of two laser beams in accordance with a modulation signal and desired data is recorded by the groove, since the groove is formed by wobbling the one laser beam in such a manner that the one laser beam may not affect the other laser beam, a light intensity of the one laser beam is not added to a light intensity of the other laser beam, which is not wobbled by a wobbled amount so that the other-side of groove may be protected from the influence of the offset.

Abstract: An optical recording medium having a disconnected land and/or a groove thereby forming a control signal portion. The control signal portion may have therein a clock signal. The disconnect is formed by wobbling a laser beam while applying the laser beam to a photoresist layer formed on an original glass disk to cut circumferential grooves therein. The beam is wobbled in the radial direction to form a disconnect in the circumferential groove and simultaneously therewith a mark to disconnect a land between grooves.