Abstract: A multilayer optical information medium provided with structure in which first and second substrates respectively provided with two to four layers of planar information areas are respectively arranged outside wherein the thickness of the above-described first and second substrates is set in the range of 0.52 to 0.65 mm. The above-described planar information area consists of embossed pits provided, for example on the surface of respective substrates or on the surface of a layer formed by transparent material and a semi-reflective layer provided on the embossed pits. A planar information area arranged in the farthest position from respective substrates is provided with a reflective layer in place of the above-described semi-reflective layer. The planar information area arranged in the farthest position from respective substrates may be constituted by a recording layer and a reflective layer provided on the recording layer.

Abstract: An optically readable data storage medium includes a thin film data carrier fabricated from first and second juxtaposed plastic layers. A microembossed data surface is positioned within an interface zone and includes physically displaced surface elements which encode digital data. An adaptor temporarily receives and supports the thin film data carrier from below and includes a centrally located aperture geometrically compatible with a standard CD player spindle to enable the adaptor to be supported and rotated by the spindle. The adaptor includes a refraction zone having an area and a location underlying the microembossed data surface to enable the light beam from the light source of the CD player to be focussed onto the rotatable data surface. The reflected light beam modulated by the digital data encoded within the microembossed data surface is intercepted and converted to an electrical signal by the CD player optical readout device.

Abstract: In a double-layered optical disk capable of reading two-layer information from one face, the substrates constituting this optical disk can hardly peel even with a dropping shock or a change over time. The double-layered optical disk is constituted by a transparent first substrate, a first information recording layer, and a second substrate adhered to the first substrate through the first information recording layer. The first substrate has information pits to be read with a read laser beam and is transparent to this read laser beam. The first information recording layer is formed on the information pit formation surface of the first substrate and is made of an inorganic dielectric having a higher refractive index than that of the first substrate.

Abstract: A digital information recording media which includes a recording layer comprising a light-stable colored composition which composition is mutable or decolorizable upon exposure to a specific wavelength of ultraviolet radiation. The light-stable colored composition includes a colorant and an ultraviolet radiation transorber. The colorant, in the presence of the radiation transorber, is adapted, upon exposure of the transorber to specific, narrow bandwidth ultraviolet radiation, to be mutable. The radiation transorber also imparts light-stability to the colorant so that the colorant does not fade when exposed to sunlight or artificial light. The ultraviolet radiation transorber is adapted to absorb radiation and interact with the colorant to effect the irreversible mutation of the colorant. Especially useful radiation is incoherent, pulsed ultraviolet radiation produced by a dielectric barrier discharge excimer lamp or coherent, pulse radiation produced by an excimer laser.

Abstract: In an optical disk obtained by pasting two substrates, air bubbles and the like are removed from an adhesive layer between the substrates pasted together, and the thickness irregularity of the adhesive layer is suppressed to an allowable value or less. A spacer having a predetermined thickness is concentrically placed on a substrate. An adhesive is applied onto a surface of the substrate on which the spacer is placed. Another substrate is placed on the surface of the substrate on which the adhesive is applied. The substrates are rotated about the spacer at a high speed. The excessive adhesive sandwiched between the substrates is expelled, together with air bubbles and the like, by using the centrifugal force produced by the rotation. With this process, an adhesive layer having a thickness determined by the thickness of the spacer is left between the two substrates.

Abstract: An optical recording medium comprising a recording layer, a light interference layer, a reflective layer and a protective layer that are laminated on a substrate, characterized in that said recording layer and said light interference layer comprise at least one organic dye, and that a light absorbent and/or a thermal decomposition promoter are/is added to said light interference layer, wherein the optical recording medium has compatibility that allows good recording and/or reproduction by using lasers of different two wavelength ranges and has good recording properties.

Abstract: Improved disc metal mold provides an improved disc without a ring groove thereon. The improved disc metal mold has a fixed metal mold section and a movable metal mold section for forming a cavity therebetween. One of the fixed and movable metal molds has a stamper having an information signal surface on which an information signal is formed in a form of pits, wherein a fused resin is injected into the cavity to form a disc substrate having a center through hole at the center thereof. The disc metal mold includes the stamper having an center hole at a center thereof for retaining the stamper itself and a retainer for retaining the stamper to engage with the center hole of the stamper. The retainer has a slightly larger diameter at a top surface thereof than a diameter of the center hole of the stamper so that the top surface of the retainer is approximately flush with the information signal surface of the stamper by causing the top end thereof to engage with the center hole of the stamper.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical recording medium comprising a substrate, a reflecting layer and a recording layer, which recording layer consists essentially of a dye of the formula (I), ##STR1## in which R.sub.1 and R.sub.6 are hydrogen or unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aralkyl or aryl,R.sub.6 and R.sub.7 are unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aralky or aryl,R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.8 and R.sub.9 are hydrogen, halogen, OR.sub.17, SR.sub.17, NR.sub.18 R.sub.19, NO.sub.2, alkyl, alkenyl or Alkynyl,R.sub.5 and R.sub.10 are hydrogen, halogen, OR.sub.17, SR.sub.17, NO.sub.2, NR.sub.18 R.sub.19 or unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl or aralkyl, andR.sub.11 is hydrogen, (CH.sub.2).sub.1-10 COO.sup.-, (CH.sub.2).sub.1-10 COOR.sub.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus using an optical disk in which a layer (a reflectivity adjustment layer) in which the optical constants are changed by melting at the time of irradiation of light is provided separately from a recording layer using a phase change, and the reflectivity at a portion having a high reflectivity on the recording track is 40% or lower at the time of irradiation of strong light, and the reflectivity at the same portion is 60% or higher at the time of irradiation of weak light, wherein when the laser power is set to a power which is higher than the power at which the optical constants of the reflectivity adjustment layer are greatly changed at the time of rewriting and at which a high melting-point component is not melted, remaining of an unerased portion during rewriting due to a difference in reflectivity between the written mark portion and the other portions can be prevented and the possible number of rewritings can be increased, and hence an optical disk which has a high recording sensi

Abstract: An optical recording medium capable of recording and/or reproducing an information by using a laser beam, comprising: a support layer having an information signal-recording portion on one side surface thereof on which said laser beam is incident, and a transparent layer disposed over the support layer and having a thickness smaller than that of the support layer. In accordance with the present invention, there are further provided production method for optical or magneto-optical discs whereby a high density reproduction can be achieved.

Abstract: A recordable compact disc comprises a 0.6 millimeter clear plastic or glass substrate on which is grown a thin-film image layer having several distinct recording planes. Each recording plane is separated from the next by a clear plastic layer. Each recording plane includes an organic dye layer in combination with another clear layer that has a different index of refraction. Different color dyes are used for each recording plane.A method for storing and reading data to and from a multilayer recordable compact disc with different color dye layers uses high powered color lasers to write each recording plane and low powered monochromatic reading lasers that are sensitive to the constructive and destructive light interference effects caused by micron variations in the clear plastic layers in each recording plane. The micron variations used for each recording plane are unique and chosen along with the monochromatic reading laser colors to have minimal crosstalk between recording-plane data channels.

Abstract: A recordable element including a substrate and having over its surface, in order, an optical recording layer and a light reflecting layer, the improvement includes an optical recording layer containing Te.sub.a Ge.sub.b C.sub.c H.sub.d O.sub.e where a, b, c, d, and e are atomic percents such that a+b+c+d+e=100, and wherein 10<a<40, 10<b<60, 5<c<35, 10<d<5, e.gtoreq.0; an the optical recording layer having one or more sublayers which can be of different compositions; and the thickness t of the optical recording layer is 0.7 Tmin<t<1.3 Tmin.

Abstract: A method of treating a metal alkoxide solution to form metal oxide prepolymer molecules therein is characterized by irradiating the solution with light energy having a wavelength selected to break the metal-alkoxy group bond in said metal alkoxide, thereby to form the metal oxide prepolymer molecules in the solution. The prepolymer is converted into polymeric metal oxide gel. The stoichiometry of the oxide is high. A gel of carbon content below 4 atomic % can be achieved by the step of decarbonizing the gel, preferably using light to produce ozone.

Abstract: The present invention is relative to an optical information recording medium having a reflective layer for reading out information signals by an optical technique. The optical information recording medium is formed as a plastic substrate. According to the present invention, the substrate is colored by admixture of a dyestuff for enabling instant judgment by the visual sense of the operator as to the contents of the optical information recording medium, for example, as to if the contents of the recording medium is a game program or the music information. If impurities such as dyestuffs are admixed, the optical system of the readout device is usually affected thus raising readout difficulties. Such ill effects on the optical system may be eliminated by setting the particle size of the dyestuff so as to be 50 .mu.m or less.

Abstract: A wiring board constructed of an integral combination of an insulating substrate including 60-95% by weight of a powder of an inorganic insulating material and 5-40% by weight of a thermosetting resin which joins the particles of the powder of an inorganic insulating material, and an insulating substrate-coating, wiring conductor which includes 70-95% by weight of a metal powder and 5-30% by weight of a thermosetting resin.

Abstract: A disc substrate inject-molded comprises; a first circular surface having an inner non-data region formed around a center hole thereof and an outer data region formed around the non-data region; a second circular flat surface opposite and parallel to the first circular surface; and a ring shaped stack-rib formed on the non-data region.

Abstract: An optical disc has a pair of light-transmissible circular substrates each having an inner non-data region disposed around a center hole thereof, a data region disposed around the inter non-data region for bearing signals corresponding to information to be recorded and an outer non-data region disposed around the data region which are formed on a major surface of the substrate. The optical disc has a reflective layer formed on the data region and a protective layer made of an ultraviolet ray setting resin containing metal ions formed on the reflective layer. The optical disc has an adhesive layer made of an adhesive composition containing an ultraviolet ray setting component and an anaerobic hardening component disposed between the protective layers of the circular substrates for adhering the circular substrates.

Abstract: In order to provide a laminated optical disc having a sufficient display portion and a reliable print display, a pair of disc substrates are bonded together to form an optical disc, in which one disc substrate is colored and contents of recorded matters are displayed on the surface thereof so as to eliminate the ground solid print layer for the print display layer and to avoid deformation or warping of the disc.

Abstract: An optical recording material of the following formula (1) and an optical recording medium excellent in recording sensitivity, light resistance and durability, having a recording layer containing the material,the formula (1), ##STR1## wherein each of X.sub.1 to X.sub.4 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alicyclic residue, an aralkyl group, a heterocyclic ring, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group or an alkylthio group, each of Y.sub.1 to Y.sub.4 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a nitro group, a phthalimidemethyl group or a sulfoneamide group, each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, an alkylamino group, a dialkylamino group, an arylamino group or a diarylamio group, M is Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge or Sn, Z is an azo compound, an anthraquinone compound or a metal complex compound, n.sub.1 to n.sub.4 are 1 to 4, m.sub.1 to m.sub.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a dye composition for use in CD-R recording media and having reduced wavelength dependence of the dye layer absorption, comprising:(1) a first cyanine dye having a peak absorption wavelength in the solid film form in the range of about 690 nm to about 730 nm, the amount of said first cyanine dye is about 90% to about 30% by weight, based on the total weight of the solid components in said dye composition; and(2) at least one noncyanine dye having a peak absorption wavelength in the range of about 900 nm to about 1200 nm, each noncyanine dye having an absorption coefficient greater than 30,000 cm.sup.-1 and said amount of noncyanine dye is about 10% to about 40% by weight, based on the total weight of the solid components in said dye composition. The invention is also directed to a recordable medium coated with the above dye composition, and a recording mechanism implementing the above dye composition.

Abstract: This invention is to provide a novel quinizarin compound which has a quinizarin structure represented by a following formula (1) having one to four of the 5, 6, 7, and 8 positions and at least either the 6 or 7 position formed of at least one member selected from the class consisting of secondary amino groups, alkylthio groups, and optionally substituted phenylthio groups, and having the remaining positions thereof formed of at least one member selected from the class consisting of hydrogen atom, halogen atoms, amino group, hydroxy group, alkoxy groups, and optionally substituted phenoxy groups, a method for the production thereof, and a dye, an electrophotographic grade color toner composition, a thermal-transfer recording sheet, an optical recording medium, an ink jet grade ink composition and a color filter severally comprising the quinizarin compound.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to increase an amount of information recorded on an optical disk having at least two information recording layers. An optical disk having a plurality of information recording layers according to the present invention includes a transparent substrate, a transparent layer and at least two information recording layers formed on the transparent substrate. The information recording layers are provided so as to sandwich the transparent layer. At least one of the information recording layers has a transmittance varying layer. The transmittance varying layer is made of a material whose transmittance is changed at a predetermined temperature as a threshold value. The transmittance varying layer is made of a phase change material. The threshold value is within the temperature range from 700.degree. to 500.degree.. Crystallization speed of the transmittance varying layer is equal to or slower than 500 ns.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical disk 9 with a duplication preventing function, reproducing system 47 for the optical disk 9, optical disk reproducing method, method of fabricating an optical disk original record, and illegal program operation stopping method. An area in which a CP signal 24 is recorded is made after a signal having a constant pattern in the optical disk, the CP signal 24 being produced such that the center of an eye pattern is shifted from the center of the amplitude. In the reproducing system, CP signal arrangement information 25 or a CP preceding signal 26 is detected, before an offset voltage is applied to a threshold value to be used in demodulating an RF signal into a digital signal so that the threshold value varies, thus normally reproducing the signal in which center of the eye patter is shifted from the center of the amplitude. The reproducing system has a function whereby the reproduction is stopped when a predetermined offset signal is not reproduced.

Abstract: A Beryllium disk drive substrate is prepared using a Beryllium metal having a starting modulus of elasticity (stiffness) of about 4.2 times that of Aluminum, in which the beryllium is separated into circular disks and processed by a sequence of lapping, heat-treating under pressure, cooling under pressure and polishing steps which retains the desirable metallurgical characteristics of the starting metal and provides sufficiently high quality surface finish, thermal conductivity and low mass density, to enable improved rotational speeds, acceleration/deceleration rates and information packing density for demanding disk drive applications.

Abstract: An image forming method for forming an image on an optical disk includes forming the image on an intermediate transfer medium or on an image receptive layer separably formed on one surface of the intermediate transfer medium. The intermediate transfer medium and the optical disk are laid so that the surface of the intermediate transfer medium carrying the image and the surface of the optical disk are in close contact with each other. Heat and/or pressure is applied to the intermediate transfer medium to transfer the image or the image receptive layer carrying the image to the optical disk to form a label on the optical disk.

Abstract: A single or multi-sided, single or multi-layered optical data disc in which graphical information resides beneath all layers of data information, while maintaining playability. The graphical information is fully viewable to a user through the layers of data. The conventional metalization layer is replaced by a thin film dielectric coating that provides the reflectivity of the metal to the reading laser frequency while being highly transmissive of the ambient visible spectrum.

Abstract: Two disc bases D having different information are molded in a time by a pair of cavities formed when clamping the molds 1 and 2, which are filled with the molten resin by being injected. After taking out the disc bases from the mold by a product taking out apparatus, those are coated with a reflection layer by a sputtering apparatus and subsequently coated with a protection layer by a coating apparatus and finally bonded by a bonding apparatus to obtain a single disc VD. This disc VD can avoid the mechanical troubles such as distortion, bending, twisting or peeling off of the bonded portion in a time lapse after being bonded, because those disc bases VD are molded in a pair of cavities 3, 3 formed in a mold using the material of the same lot, i.e. under the same condition. Representative drawing FIG. 1.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spin-transition parent compound in powdered form, comprising a network having molecules which are each formed from a complex in which a metallic ion M having an electronic configuration in d5 or in d6 or in d7, is bonded to at least one aminotriazole ligand of the formula ?L.sub.2 N-trz!, wherein L is an alkyl radical (C.sub.n H.sub.2n+1) and n is an integer which is equal to or greater than zero, each molecule also including a sulforganic anion comprising a sulfito radical (SO.sub.3.sup.-), and the network also including at least one water molecule (H.sub.2 O) per molecule of the metallic complex M, said water molecule(s) in the network only being bonded to the aminotriazole ligand by a hydrogen bond.In this compound, the anion may be, for example, a sulfito-aryl having a benzene radical or a sulfito-aryl derived from a benzene radical, or a sulfito-aryl having a saturated or unsaturated organic chain, an alkyl sulfito-halide or an aryl sulfito-halide.

Abstract: An optical recording medium of phase change improves the erase ratio and the repeat writing characteristic by coexistence of an amorphous phase and a crystalline phase at the stage of initiation so as to reduce the size of crystalline grain in a recording layer and a method of fabricating the same. The optical recording medium of phase change comprises: a substrate; a first dielectric layer deposited on said substrate; a recording layer deposited on said first dielectric layer; a second dielectric layer deposited on said recording layer; a reflection layer and a protective film formed sequentially on said second dieletric layer; said recording layer being consisted of (GeSbTe).sub.x (In.sub.y Sb.sub.1-y).sub.1-x ; and a crystalline phase of said recording layer being a structure co-existing with a crystalline material of GeSbTe and an amorphous material of InSb.

Abstract: An information recording medium including a substrate, a recording layer, a protective layer, a print layer on the protective layer, and a barrier layer located intermediate the print layer and the recording layer.

Abstract: An optical recording medium, which has a land and a groove on which a record mark is formed, comprises a transparent substrate, an inner protection layer formed on the substrate, a recording material layer formed on the inner protection layer and a reflection layer formed on the outer protection layer. The groove is formed to have a depth of .lambda./6 and the ratio of the thickness of the outer protection layer to the thickness of the recording material layer is set in a range between 0.8 and 1.2.

Abstract: An ultrahigh vacuum focused ion beam micromilling apparatus and process are isclosed. Additionally, a durable data storage medium using the micromilling process is disclosed, the durable data storage medium capable of storing, e.g., digital or alphanumeric characters as well as graphical shapes or characters.

Abstract: In advance of carbon coating, by injecting ions into the shaped surface of a metallic mold made of super-hard materials, it becomes possible to increase the adhesiveness of the carbon coat onto the mold material, and to increase the life of the mold. In a metallic pressing mold with the required flatness secured by carbon coating on the surfaces, the surface layer of the shaped surfaces is modified by ion injection in advance of carbon coating.

Abstract: This invention provides an optical disk whose recorded information cannot be easily copied to other recording media, with practically no degradation of strength. The optical disk of this invention has a ring-shaped signal layer made of radiation curable resin on a transparent substrate, a reflective layer formed on this signal layer, and a protective layer formed on this reflective layer; moreover, the above mentioned signal layer has a peel strength against the above mentioned transparent substrate in the range of about 20/100 to about 80/100 according to the JIS-K5400 test method; and if the outer and inner diameters of the mentioned signal layer are represented by Os and Is respectively, the outer and inner diameters of the mentioned reflective layer are represented by Or and Ir respectively, and the outer and inner diameters of the mentioned protective layer are represented by Op and Ip respectively, these diameters satisfy the relationships,Os<Or<OpandIp<Ir<Is.

Abstract: A multilayer optical disk having an information storage layer which can as well as be reproduced by a general-purpose reproducing apparatus, for example, a compact disk player, and from which information can be read from other information storage layers by using an exclusive reproducing apparatus. The multilayer optical disk having a plurality of information storage layers according to the present invention includes a plurality of information storage layers, wherein one of the plural information storage layers has a reflection factor of 70% or higher with respect to a wavelength of 770 nm to 830 nm which is a first wavelength of reproducing light, and other information storage layers are reproduced with reproducing light having a second wavelength which is different from the first wavelength of reproducing light. Each of the other information storage layers has a reflection factor of 20% or higher with respect to the second wavelength of reproducing light.

Abstract: A stamper for manufacturing a base of an optical disc where grooves having a track pitch of 1.6 .mu.m and width of 1.3 .mu.m or less are formed by using synthetic resin material includes a plurality of projections for forming grooves and a plurality of recessed portions. The plurality of projections have a flat upper portion and a pair of rising portions provided on the both sides of the upper surface portion. The plurality of recessed portions are formed so that bottom surfaces provided continuously to the rising portions of the respective projections become flat. In this case, when width dimension of the rising portion is .epsilon./2, width .epsilon./2 of the rising portion is given by the following expression:0.05 .mu.m.ltoreq..epsilon./2.ltoreq.0.15 .mu.

Abstract: An optical recording medium includes: a substrate on which information is recorded as phase pits, and a polarization state varying layer for rotating a polarization state of a light beam irradiated thereon in accordance with a temperature distribution caused by irradiation of the light beam. A device for reproducing information recorded on the optical recording medium includes: light irradiation unit for irradiating a read-out light beam to produce a light spot on the optical recording medium so that a light intensity of the light beam at a first portion of the light spot is higher than a predetermined level, separation unit for separating a component of light beam having a predetermined polarization state from a light beam reflected by the optical recording medium, light receiving unit for receiving the light beam separated by said separation means and generating read-out signal, and reproducing unit for reproducing information recorded on the optical recording medium on the basis of the read-out signal.

Abstract: An optical recording medium capable of recording reproducing and erasing information wherein a pulsating phenomenon where dielectric layer provided on the top and bottom of the recording thing film layer are thermally expanded, and contracted through the recording.erasing so that an inferior phenomenon of moving the recording thin film layer along the guiding groove in the disc rotating direction is considerably restrained, whereby, uneven thickness in the recording thin film layer is removed, thus making it possible to prevent the signal quality from being deteriorated, and the repeating characteristics of the recording.erasing operations are exceptionally improved.

Abstract: An optical information storage medium includes a multilayer structure formed on a substrate. The multilayer structure is formed by a sputtering process in a discharge gas and includes at least a first dielectric layer, a recording layer which shows reversible phase change between an amorphous phase and a crystal phase, and a second dielectric layer. The multilayer structure contains sufficiently small amount of the discharge gas so that a limited amount or less of voids of the discharge gas generates in the recording layer during repeated overwrite operations.

Abstract: This invention is directed at the makings of glass-ceramic which is uniquely suited for use as a disc substrate for utilization in a magnetic memory storage device. The glass ceramic material exhibits a crystal phase assemblage comprised predominately of a mixture of lithium disilicate and tridymite which are uniformly interspersed with a residual glass phase and form an interlocked microstructure with the glass. The composition consists essentially, expressed in terms of weight percent on the oxide basis, of 75-95% SiO.sub.2, 3-15% Li.sub.2 O, 0-6% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, and 0-6% K.sub.2 O. The nucleating agent for this glass-ceramic is selected from the group consisting of 0-0.1% Pd and 0-5% P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; however if Pd is absent the P.sub.2 O.sub.5 amount is at least 0.5% and if P.sub.2 O.sub.5 is absent then the Pd amount is at least 0.005%. Additionally, up to 15% of optional ingredients may be added, including, B.sub.2 O.sub.3, Na.sub.2 O, ZnO, MgO, CaO, SrO, ZrO.sub.2, TiO.sub.2, F, Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3, As.

Abstract: An optical recording medium has deposited on a substrate a recording layer incorporating therein a cyanine dye, preferably an indoline dye, and optionally incorporating therein an autoxidizable compound or a thermoplastic resin and/or a singlet oxygen quencher.

Abstract: An optical disc comprising transparent substrate, a phase-changing material layer disposed on the transparent substrate and made of a material which is phase-changeable by radiation of a light beam, a reflecting film layer disposed on the phase-changing material layer, and a cooling layer disposed between the phase-changing material layer and the reflecting layer, wherein the cooling layer has a heat conductivity ranging from 0.25 J/cmKs to 20.00 J/cmKs. The optical disc of the present invention has such a structure that a crystal phase portion of the phase-changing material layer shows a higher light absorptivity than that of the amorphous phase portion and exhibits a high carrier to noise ratio (C/N ratio) irrespective of a line speed upon rotational driving of the optical disc.

Abstract: A new Musical CD Creation Unit for providing both review and recording functions for the automated merchandising of music entertainment on recordable CDs. The inventive device includes a storage means, a selection means, and a production means. A CD jukebox of the kind commonly available and used in commercial markets provides is used to store musical selections. A computer terminal having a display monitor and input means, such as a computer keyboard or a touch screen allows a customer to review and create a musical selection to be reproduced on a recordable CD. Predetermined musical selections allow a customer to make selections based on music type, such as jazz, pop, rock, country, soul, gospel, or blues, popularity, such as "Top 20 Hits," artist, or other options.

Abstract: An irradiation method of applying a light spot or a light pattern to an object with high resolution is performed by disposing, in close vicinity to the object, a light-absorbing contrast-increasing layer whose transmittance or reflectivity with respect to an incident light thereto increases as the intensity of the incident light or the exposure thereof to the incident light increases; and applying light to the object through the light-absorbing contrast-increasing layer. This method is applied to an optical information recording and reproducing method using an optical information recording medium including an optical information recording layer and an auxiliary layer whose transmittance or reflectance increases in a real time manner correspondingly to the energy of an incident light thereto.

Abstract: A recordable element with improved performance, and a method of making such element is disclosed. The recordable element includes a substrate and an optical recording layer deposited on the substrate, wherein the optical recording layer is formed of Te.sub.a Ge.sub.b C.sub.c H.sub.d O.sub.e where a, b, c, d, and e are atomic percents such that a+b+c+d+e=100, and wherein 10<a<40, 10<b<60, 5<c<35, and 15<(c+d)<65 and e.gtoreq.0; a metal layer over the optical recording layer; and the recording element having its properties changed by heat treatment for a time and temperature selected so as to significantly improve jitter, window margin, reflectivity, and recording sensitivity performance.

Abstract: An edge strengthened substrate of a data storage disk and a method for fabricating same is disclosed. A strengthening agent is preferably applied to selected portions of a disk-shaped glass substrate to increase the overall strength of the glass substrate. In one embodiment, a strengthening agent is preferably applied along an inner diameter portion of a disk-shaped glass substrate. A binder is preferably mixed with the strengthening agent to limit the mobility of the strengthening agent to the selected inner diameter portion of the substrate during the strengthening process. The glass substrate is then heated to a diffusion temperature for a sufficient duration of time to permit diffusion of the strengthening agent into the glass substrate. Selective application of a strengthening agent to an outer diameter portion of the glass substrate may be performed to further strengthen the glass substrate.

Abstract: A mixture of low k metallized formazan dye with symmetrical and unsymmetrical cyanine dyes is disclosed. The mixture is useful in optical recording layers of optical recording elements.

Abstract: In a recordable/replayable optical recording medium having a thin metal recording layer and an optical recording method therefor, the optical recording medium includes a substrate, a thin metal film formed on the substrate, a reflective layer arranged on the thin metal film, a buffering layer interposed between the thin metal film deformed by heat, and a protecting layer for protecting the deposited layers. Recording is facilitated by adopting a buffering layer and compatibility with conventional CD players is possible. Since expensive organic dyes are not necessary, manufacturing costs can be reduced and productivity can be greatly improved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a constrained layer damper having slits and/or cutout(s) therein, which provides improved vibration damping performance. The constrained layer damper of the invention is useful, for example, for damping rotatable spacer articles and also rotatable storage media such as compact disks.

Abstract: An optical element is provide which has a durability enhancing layer. There is provided an optical disk comprising a support having on one surface thereof, in order:a) a recording layer such that said recording layer does not cover the entire surface of said disk but leaves an annular portion at the outer diameter;b) a reflective layer such that said reflective layer does not cover the entire surface of said disk but leaves an annular portion at the outer diameter;c) a first protective layer having a thickness between about 2-20 .mu.m, said protective layer being of a material having good adhesion to said support and covering a portion of the surface of said disk having said reflective layer, including at least a portion of said annular portion;d) a second protective layer having a thickness of at least about 3 .mu.m, said second layer covering at least the area of said surface having the reflective layer and having good adhesion to said first protective layer.