Abstract: Embodiments of optical discs and methods for making the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the optical disc comprises: at least two plastic substrates comprising a bonding layer and a data layer disposed therebetween, wherein at least one of the substrates is a read side substrate comprising greater than or equal to about 0.01 wt % colorant, based upon the total weight of the read side substrate, and wherein the read side substrate has a UV Bonding Index of greater than or equal to about 0.5. One method for making the optical disc comprises: forming a first plastic substrate comprising greater than or equal to about 0.01 wt % colorant, based upon the total weight of the first plastic substrate, wherein a UV Bonding Index of the first plastic substrate is controlled to be greater than or equal to about 0.5, disposing a data layer between the first plastic substrate and a second substrate, bonding the first plastic substrate to the second plastic substrate with a bonding layer, and curing the bonding layer.

Abstract: An information recording medium showing a high light-resistance has a recording layer containing a dye compound having the following formula (IV-2): in which each of Y2 and Z2 is a group of atoms required for forming a carbon ring or a heterocyclic ring; each of L6, L7, L8, L9 and L10 is a methine group which may have one or two substituents; M2+ is an onium ion; and each of m1 and n1 is 0, 1 or 2.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium with a recording layer enables a recording and reproducing to be effected with a 650 nm (or further) laser beam, and the recording layer contains at least one kind of the trimethine-cyanine dye which is a compound represented by the following general formula [1], [2], [3], [4]. The “EWG” represents any electron-withdrawing substituted group such as cyano or nitro group.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a material having spectroscopic properties, light resistance, solubility and thermal decomposition properties suitable for recording for DVD-R. More specifically, the present invention provides squarylium compounds in a state of a metal complex represented by the general formula (I): wherein, R1 and R2 are the same or different, and represent an alkyl group optionally having a substituent, an aralkyl group optionally;,having a substituent, an aryl group optionally having a substituent, or a heterocyclic group optionally having a substituent; Q represents a metal atom with a coordination ability; q represents 2 or 3; and A represents an aryl group optionally having a substituent, a heterocyclic group optionally having a substituent, or Y═CH— wherein Y represents an aryl group optionally having a substituent or a heterocyclic group optionally having a substituent.

Abstract: The present invention provides organic compounds which improve the light resistance of organic dye compounds without substantially deteriorating their preferable light properties when applied to them, and have satisfactory solubility in organic solvents and compatibility with organic dye compounds.

Abstract: An optical data storage medium containing a preferably transparent substrate which has optionally already been coated with one or more reflecting layers and onto the surface of which a photorecordable information layer, optionally one or more reflecting layers, and optionally a protective layer or an additional substrate or a top layer are applied, which data storage medium can be recorded on and read using blue or red light, preferably laser light, wherein the information layer contains a light-absorbing compound and optionally a binder, characterized in that at least one triazacyanine dye is used as the light-absorbing compound.

Abstract: In a magneto-optical disc contained in a cartridge, a first dielectric layer, signal recording layer, second dielectric layer, and light reflecting layer are sequentially stacked on a substrate having formed grooves, and a first protective layer, print layer using at least one color and second protective layer are sequentially stacked on the light reflecting layer. Thickness of the second protective layer is not smaller than that of the print layer, and thickness of the first protective layer is not smaller than 2 &mgr;m. Thus the recording medium having the print layer on at least one surface maintains a sufficient resistance to corrosion and a good slidableness.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical recording medium containing a phthalocyanine compound in its recording layer and, particularly, a CD-R in which the color of the disk as viewed from the substrate side disappears apparently as if the colorant-containing recording layer were not present Disclosed is an optical recording medium produced by laminating a recording layer, a reflecting layer and a protective layer on the transparent substrate, the recording layer comprising a phthalocyanine compound and a reddish colorant.

Abstract: A recordable optical recording medium of this invention capable of good recording and reproduction with a laser at wavelengths of 300 to 500 nm and/or 500 to 700 nm comprises at least one porphycene compounds optionally chelated with a metal in its recording layer.

Abstract: A colored optical disk and method for making the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the optical disk comprises: a first fully reflective data layer, a first separating layer disposed on a top side of the first fully reflective data layer, a first semi-reflective data layer disposed on a side of the separating layer opposite the first fully reflective data layer, a first resin layer disposed on an upper side the first semi-reflective data layer opposite the separating layer, a second resin layer disposed on a bottom side of said first fully reflective data layer, wherein a reflectivity of the first fully reflective data layer and the first semi-reflective data layer is individually about 18 to about 30%, wherein a difference in the reflectivity between the first fully reflective data layer and the first semi-reflective data layer is less than or equal to about 5%; and wherein at least a portion of the optical disk comprises colorant.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium including a substrate having successively disposed thereon a recording layer, an interlayer, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer and a cover film in which information is recordable and reproducible by irradiating laser light and the pressure sensitive adhesive layer contains a polymer having a glass transition temperature Tg of 0° C. or lower, as well as a method for producing an optical information recording medium including adhering a cover layer to a surface of a recording layer so that a pressure sensitive adhesive layer is abutted on the surface of the recording layer, and an optical information recording medium produced by the method.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide novel squarylium compounds having the spectroscopic properties, light resistance, solubility and thermal decomposition properties suitable for a recording material for DVD-R, and optical recording media using the same. More particularly, the present invention provides novel squarylium compounds represented by the general formula (I). In addition, the present invention provides optical recording media having a recording layer containing said squarylium compound.

Abstract: This invention provides a data storage media comprising at least a cyanine-TCNQ complex dye having the structural formula: 1

Abstract: An optical information recording medium includes a substrate having disposed thereon a recording layer that is recordable by irradiating the recording layer with a laser having a wavelength of 450 nm or less. The recording layer contains a specific phthalocyanine derivative. An optical information recording method uses the medium.

Abstract: Squarylium compounds having spectroscopic properties, light resistance, solubility and thermal decomposition properties suitable for a recording material for DVD-R represented by the general formula (I), having pyrazole and indoline skeletons in the molecule and optical recording media having a recording layer comprising an asymmetric squarylium compound of formula (I).

Abstract: A method for fabricating read-only copy protected optical medium comprising a light-sensitive material at positions capable of altering the data read during copying of the optical medium but permitting read of the underlying data in the reading of the optical medium.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium including a substrate in which at least one of a groove and a pit is formed; a recording layer located overlying the substrate and including a dye; and a reflection layer located overlying the recording layer, wherein the optical information recording medium has an absorbance curve with an absorbance L of from 10 to 40% against light having a wavelength &lgr; of from 645 nm to 670 nm, a ratio (Lmax/Lmin) of a maximum absorbance Lmax of the absorbance curve to a minimum absorbance Lmin of from 1.0 to 2.0 at the wavelength range of from 645 nm to 670 nm, and a reflectance of from 45 to 85% against the light having a wavelength &lgr; of from 645 nm to 670 nm.

Abstract: The present invention is an optical information recording medium comprising a substrate having disposed in an order thereon a recording layer, an interlayer, and a cover layer, wherein recording and reproduction are carried out by the irradiation with a laser light having a wavelength in the range of 380 to 500 nm through a lens having a lens numerical aperture NA of 0.7 or more, wherein the recording layer is a layer of an organic substance and the thickness of the interlayer is within a range of 1 nm to 9 nm.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium comprising a transparent substrate and a recording layer formed thereon, wherein the recording layer contains an extended porphyrin compound represented by the following general formula (1): 1

Abstract: An optical recording element having a transparent substrate and on the surface of said substrate, a recording layer, a light reflecting layer is disclosed. The recording layer comprises (i) a metallized azo ether dye having an azo group linking a substituted 3-hydroxypyridine nucleus to a phenyl nucleus wherein the phenyl nucleus has an ether substituent ortho to the azo group and said phenyl nucleus is free of strong electron withdrawing groups and (ii) a cyanine dye. The recording layer also has, when unrecorded a refractive index, at a selected wavelength from 400 to 660 nm, comprising a real part (n) greater than 1.8 and an imaginary part (k) less than 0.2.

Abstract: Polymeric material suitable for the preparation of optical recording media for binary and/or multibit and/or volume data storage is disclosed. The molecular structure of the material contains a main chain and side chains.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical information recording medium comprising a substrate having provided thereon a recording layer capable of recording information by laser beam irradiation, wherein the recording layer contains at least one compound represented by the following general formula (I): 1

Abstract: Optical data medium containing a preferably transparent substrate which is optionally already coated with one or more barrier layers and on the surface of which an information layer which can be recorded on using light, optionally one or more barrier layers, and a cover layer, have been applied, which data medium can be recorded on and read using focused blue light through the cover layer on the information layer, preferably laser light with the wavelength between 360 nm and 460 nm, the information layer containing a light-absorbing compound and optionally a binder, characterized in that at least one dye is used as the light-absorbing compound wherein the cover layer on the top of the information layer including the adhesive layer do have a total thickness of 10 &mgr;m to 177 &mgr;m and the numerical aperture NA of the focusing objective lens setup is greater or equal 0.8.

Abstract: An optical recording medium comprising a recording and a metal reflective layers on a transparent substrate having a groove, wherein the recording layer comprises an azaporphyrin metal complex dye with 1 to 4 meso-nitrogen atoms as a main component; recording and/or reproduction can be conducted using laser beams with wavelengths of &lgr;1 and &lgr;2 which is shorter than &lgr;1; a refractive index n of the recording layer is 2.0 or more at &lgr;1 and 1.8 or more at &lgr;2 as well as an attenuation coefficient k of the layer is 0.04 to 0.20 at &lgr;1 and 0.30 or less at &lgr;2; and the groove has a pitch of 0.70 to 0.85 &mgr;m, a half-value width of 0.20 to 0.

Abstract: To provide a high density optical recording medium, capable of realizing the complete compatibility with a phase change recording medium with respect to an optical pickup or a drive device, using a short wavelength light for achieving a high recording density. The present invention provides an optical recording medium configuration for directly reading out the change of the reflectance without using the phase modulation method. An optical recording medium according to the present invention is an optical recording medium having a recording film of a single layer or multiple layer structure on a substrate (1), wherein the recording film is mainly made of an organic substance material layer (2) for absorbing and decomposing a laser beam, and generating the refractive index change as well as the reflectance of the optical recording medium with respect to a reproduction laser beam of a 380 nm to 450 nm wavelength is 15% to 25% before the decomposition, and 0% to 10% after the decomposition.

Abstract: Optical data carrier comprising a preferably transparent substrate which may, if desired, have previously been coated with one or more reflection layers and to whose surface a light-writeable information layer, if desired one or more reflection layers and, if desired, a protective layer or a further substrate or a covering layer have been applied, which can be written on or read by means of blue or red light, preferably laser light, where the information layer comprises a light-absorbent compound and, if desired, a binder, characterized in that at least one xanthene dye which contains at least two anionic groups and has at least one cation containing at least one conjugated &pgr; system having at least 6 &pgr; electrons as counterion, where the cation must not be benzyltrimethylammonium, benzyltriethylammonium, tetraphenylphosphonium, butyltriphenylphosphonium or ethyltriphenylphosphonium, is used as light-absorbent compound.

Abstract: A heat mode optical information-recording medium comprising a substrate having thereon a recording layer on which information can be recorded by laser irradiation, wherein said recording layer contains a cyanine dye compound represented by the following general formula (I): wherein DYE+ represents a monovalent cyanine dye cation; n represents an integer of 1 or more; R5 and R6 each independently represents a substituent group; R7 and R8 each independently represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group; R5 and R6, R5 and R7, R6 and R8 or R7 and R8 may be connected to each other to form a ring; and r and s each independently represents an integer of from 0 to 4 and when r or s is 2 or more, a plurality of R5 groups and a plurality of R6 groups may, respectively, be the same or different from each other.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a packaged set of luminous disks with DIY surface and a method of its use. The invention is designed for providing consumers an alternative to design the surface of the disk at their will. The packaged set of the present invention basically contains at least one luminous disks and at least one transparent stickers; the luminous disk has a disk lamination and a light-emitting lamination, the transparent stickers has cutting lines defined some specific shapes for users to easily detach from the mother sheet. After designing and printing out the desired patterns on the transparent stickers, the user detaches the transparent stickers and then stick them onto the luminous surface of the luminous disk, a special home-made disk is thus obtained.

Abstract: An optical recording medium has a substrate and a recording layer formed thereon, the recording layer containing at least one squarylium compound and one azo metal chelate compound including an azo moiety of formula (I-1) or (I-2) and a metal: wherein A, B, A′, and X are the same as those previously defined in the specification. Writing and reading steps are performed by the application of a semiconductor laser beam with a wavelength in a range from 600 to 720 nm.

Abstract: There is provided a metal-containing azo compound suitably used for an recording layer of an optical medium, which is represented by at least one of the following general formulae: wherein M(II) is a bivalent metal, X1 and X2 are each a residue that forms a monocyclic or polycyclic aromatic ring, Y1 and Y2 are each a residue that forms a nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocycle, and one residue is different from the other in at least one of a combination of X1 and X2, and a combination of Y1 and Y2; and there is also provided an optical recording medium of which recording layer comprises said metal-containing azo compound.

Abstract: Dye precursor molecules—normally rhodamine base—held in a transparent matrix are reactive with acids, bases, ions or radicals—and in the case of rhodamine are reactive with acids—to produce dye molecules—i.e., rhodamine—having markedly different spectroscopic properties. Light-sensitive molecules—normally a compound of ortho-nitro-aldehyde, in particular o-nitro-benzaldehyde or, preferably, 1-nitro-2-naphthaldehyde—in the same matrix undergo photochemical reaction when selectively exposed to light so as to form at least one of the acids, bases, ions or radicals with which the dye precursor molecules are reactive—preferably nitroso acid.

Abstract: This invention is to provide a kind of cyanine-TCNQ complex dyes mixture (II, III, and IV) used as the data storage media having the structural formula (I): 1

Abstract: An optical recording medium has a substrate, and a recording layer formed thereon which contains at least one formazan chelate compound of formula (I), (II) or 1

Abstract: This invention provides a recording method for an optical recording medium having superior high-speed recording, and a playable optical recording medium in which data pits are formed by this recording method. For this purpose, recording materials having special thermal decomposition characteristics are used for the recording layer of the optical recording medium, and the recording pulse pattern at the inner circumference and outer circumference of the optical recording medium is adjusted to be suitable for high-speed recording conditions.

Abstract: An optical disk includes a standard area of a standard recording density provided on an inner peripheral sided and a high density area of a higher recording density provided on an outer peripheral side. In each of the standard area and the high density area, a program area is provided so that an independent program can be recorded in each program area. In one aspect of the invention, an optical disk includes, from the inner preriphery to the outer periphery of the disk, a ROM area for read-only purpsoe, a RAM area in which information can be rewritten and a WO area in which information can be written only once.

Abstract: An optical information storage medium having small jitter value and high recording sensitivity. The optical information storage medium has a transparent pregrooved substrate having thereon a dye recording layer, in which information can be recorded by irradiation with a laser, and a light-reflective layer on the dye recording layer, which is made of a metal. The dye recording layer contains a dye A, which has a maximum absorption wavelength in a 400 to 700 nm range, and a dye B, which has a maximum absorption wavelength 3 to 50 nm longer than that of the dye A. A sensitivity ratio Q between the dye A and the dye B, which is represented by the following equation, is from 0.20 to 0.55: Q=(PA−PB)/PA where PA represents optimum recording power for the dye A and PB represents optimum recording power for the dye B.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium includes a substrate with a wobble groove and/or pits being formed on one surface thereof, a colorant recording layer provided on the surface of the substrate, and a metallic reflection layer provided on the colorant recording layer, wherein the wobble groove has a track pitch in a range of 1.5 &mgr;m to 1.7 &mgr;m, and a half-amplitude level thereof in a range of 0.4 &mgr;m to 0.75 &mgr;m, and the colorant recording layer includes a specific phthalocyanine compound represented by formula (I) as defined in the specification, and a method of producing the optical information recording medium is proposed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method by which items of digital information can be stored repeatedly by light induction in a two-dimensional medium and erased again, the items of information being optically readable.

Abstract: An optical information recording disc showing good recording characteristics is prepared by the steps of coating a dye solution of a laser light-sensitive dye in a fluorinated cyclic alkane or alkene on a transparent substrate disc and drying the coated dye solution. The fluorinated cyclic alkane or alkene can be employed in combination with other organic solvents.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium comprising a substrate having thereon a recording layer capable of information recording by laser irradiation, wherein said recording layer contains a dye compound represented by the following formula (I), (II) or (III): R11R12N+═L11—L12═L13—NHR13.(1/m)(X1)m−  (I) R21R22N—L21═L22—L23═NR23  (II) R31R32N+═L32═L33—NR33R34.(1/n)(X3)n−  (III). The meanings of the symbols are defined and explained in the specification. Also discussed is a method for recording information using the optical information recording medium.

Abstract: The present invention enables to realize a high recording density while suppressing the wobble signal jitter component to a sufficiently low value for practical use, thereby enabling to perform information recording/reproducing in a stable manner. The recording track has a track pitch set to 1.3 micrometers or below and the recording layer is formed by a recording material containing a dye having a characteristic appropriate to suppress the wobble signal jitter component to a low value.

Abstract: The present invention accordingly to one aspect seeks to provide an improved disk device wherein, a single- or multi-layered structure of like or unlike material(s) are contained within or upon the optical disk giving the effect of assisting in the recognition of information contained within the optical disk. In a preferred form of the invention it is sought to provide an optical disk wherein, a first layer of material is placed upon a surface of an optical disk opposite to the laser source, the first layer being composed of a material which substantially reflects an incident laser light, and, a second layer of material is placed over the first layer and upon the surface of the optical disk except in the area required by the laser source to access the region containing the pit encoding, the second layer being composed of a material which substantially absorbs the incident laser light.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical information recording medium that includes a substrate including a groove with a track pitch of 200 to 400 nm and a groove depth of 20 to 150 nm and having successively disposed thereon a light reflecting layer, a recording layer containing a dye in which information is recorded by irradiation with a laser beam having a wavelength of no greater than 450 nm, an adhesive layer, and a cover layer with a thickness of 0.01 to 0.5 mm. A surface of the optical information recording medium on a side disposed with the cover layer has a center surface average roughness (SRa1) of no greater than 3.0 nm when measured over a large surface area and a center surface average roughness (SRa2) of no greater than 3.0 nm when measured over a minute surface area.

Abstract: A three dimensional optical data storage and retrieval system that includes a three dimensional optical data storage medium and an apparatus for providing access to data stored on the medium. The data storage medium includes an optical data storage material which either a low molecular weight or polymeric glassy solid that are capable of undergoing multi-photon excitation that are energetically different in the write and read cycles. The optical data storage materials provide substantially higher storage capacities relative to conventional materials, and show high robustness in that written and stored data can undergo multiple read cycles without erasure or overwriting. An apparatus for data recording and accessing stored data on the medium includes a controllable variable energy photo-emitting excitation source and an emission photo-detector.

Abstract: Optical data carrier comprising a preferably transparent substrate which may, if desired, have previously been coated with one or more reflection layers and to whose surface a light-writeable information layer, if desired one or more reflection layers and if desired a protective layer or a further substrate or a covering layer have been applied, which can be written on or read by means of blue, red or infrared light, preferably laser light, where the information layer comprises a light-absorbent compound and, if desired, a binder, characterized in that at least one cationic aminoheterocyclic dye is used as light-absorbent compound.

Abstract: A complex of a dye cation and an anionic TCNQ derivative of the formula (I): in which [Dye]+ is a dye cation, L1 is a linking group, R1 is a substituent group, p is an integer of 1-4, and r is an integer of 0-3 under the condition of 1<p+r<4, is favorably employable as a dye compound for preparing a recording layer of CD-R or DVD-R.

Abstract: Optical disc, e.g., CD-R, DVD, DVD-R, comprising a polymer substrate and a radiation-cured coating provided by curing a radiation-curable coating composition having a pH greater than or equal to 3 and comprising at least one acrylate monomer, and advantageously diacrylate monomers and oligomers and monomers having acrylate functionalities of from 1 to at least 3, wherein the optical disc exhibits jitter of no greater than about 35 ns after being subjected to an environment having a temperature of at least 80° C. and a relative humidity of at least 85% for a period of at least 96 hours.

Abstract: Optical data carrier comprising a preferably transparent substrate which may, if desired, have previously been coated with one or more reflection layers and to whose surface a light-writeable information layer, if desired one or more reflection layers and if desired a protective layer or a further substrate or a covering layer have been applied, which can be written on or read by means of blue, red or infrared light, preferably laser light, where the information layer comprises a light-absorbent compound and, if desired, a binder, characterized in that at least one merocyanine dye is used as light-absorbent compound.

Abstract: Optical data carrier comprising a preferably transparent substrate which may, if desired, have previously been coated with a protective layer and to whose surface a light-writable information layer, if desired a protective layer, if desired an adhesive layer and finally a covering layer have been applied, which can be written on and read by means of blue light, preferably laser light, where the information layer comprises a light-absorbent compound, characterized in that at least one dye which cyclizes thermally is used as light-absorbent compound.

Abstract: A hemicyanine dye having formula (1) and an optical recording medium using the hemicyanine dye as an optical recording medium are provided: wherein Z is a benzene ring, naphthalene ring or anthracene ring; X1 is S, O, Se, NR or C(CH3)2; X2 is S, NR or O, where R is hydrogen or an alkyl group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms; R1 is hydrogen, halogen atoms, an alkyl group of 1 to 3 carbon atoms or a nitro group; each of R2 and R5 is an alkyl group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms; each of R3 and R4 is hydrogen, an hydroxy group, an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, halogen atoms or a halide; Y is Cl, Br, I, ClO4, BF4, BrO4, PF6, CH3SO3, CF3SO3, 4-CH3C6H4SO3, C6H5SO3, 6-SO3C10H6SO3 or HSO4; n is an integer of 0-2; and m is an integer of 1-2. The hemicyanine dye having formula (1) above is easy to synthesize with high yield. Thus, use of the hemicyanind dye as an optical recording medium is advantageous in terms of the manufacturing costs.