Abstract: The invention relates to a rewritable optical record carrier (100) comprising a recording stack (110) of layer (114), a recording layer comprising a phase-change recording material, and a second dielectric layer (116), having a thermal barrier layer (122) arranged adjacent to said first dielectric layer.

Abstract: A One Time Programmable (OTP) memory cell (10) comprising a first, metallic layer (12) coated with a second, conductive stable transition compound (14) with an insulating layer (16) there-between. The first and second layers (12, 14) are selected according to the difference in Gibbs Free Energy between them, which dictates the chemical energy that will be generated as a result of an exothermic chemical reaction between the two materials. The materials of the first and second layers (12, 14) are highly thermally stable in themselves but, when a voltage is applied to the cell (10), a localized breakdown of the insulative layer (16) results which creates a hotspot (18) that sets off an exothermic chemical reaction between the first and second layers (12, 14). The exothermic reaction generates sufficient heat (20) to create a short circuit across the cell and therefore reduce the resistance thereof.

Abstract: An amplifier/buffer composed from circuit elements of a single threshold and single conductivity type, comprising an input stage for receiving one or more inputs for buffering/amplification and providing an intermediate to control output of the amplifier/buffer. The intermediate signal is provided to a boosting circuit configured to boosts said signal when said signal has exceeded a predetermined value. The amplifier/buffer further has an output stage for receiving at least said signal and providing an amplified/buffered output.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drive for accessing an optical record carrier (2) comprising means (4) for determining the type of record carrier, in particular for distinguishing a read-only record carrier from a recordable or rewritable record carrier having a wobbled groove in the lead-in zone, said means comprising: a DPD measuring unit (41) for measuring the differential phase detection (DPD) signal, a PP measuring unit (42) for measuring the push-pull (PP) signal in case no DPD signal could be measured, a wobble locking unit (43) for locking, in case a PP signal could be measured, to the wobble embedded in said wobbled groove using a first and/or a second polarity setting, and an indication unit (44) for generating a first indication signal indicating that the record carrier is a read-only record carrier if a DPD signal could be measured and that the record carrier is a recordable or rewritable record carrier if no DPD signal but a PP signal could be measured and if locking to the wobble has been suc

Abstract: In an optical scanning device (10) capable of scanning an information plane of an optical record carrier (5) of different types such as BD, DVD and CD, the diameter of the radiation spot on the detector (7) is dependent on the numerical aperture of the objective system (4) that is used for scanning the record carrier An optimal design of the optical detection system for scanning a BD, result in a small radiation spot for the other types such as DVD and CD.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, an electronic circuit comprises a memory matrix with rows and columns of memory cells. First row conductors are provided for each of the rows. Second row conductors correspond to pairs of rows, each successive row forming a respective pair with a preceding one of the rows, so that each pair overlaps with one row of the next pair. Column conductors are provided for each of the columns. Each of the memory cells comprises an access transistor, a node and a first and a second resistive memory element. The access transistor has a control electrode coupled to the first row conductor of the row of the memory cell, a main current channel coupled between the column conductor for the column of the memory cell and the node. The first and second the resistive memory element are coupled between the node and the second row conductors for the pairs of rows to which the memory cell belongs.

Abstract: A logic assembly (400) is composed from circuit elements of a single threshold and single conductivity type and comprises a logic circuitry (410) having at least a set of switches each having a main current path and a control terminal. The main current path forms a series arrangement having first and second conducting terminals coupled to power supply lines. The main current paths being coupled to a common node that forms an output of logic assembly (400). The control terminals of said switches being coupled to clock circuitry for providing mutually non-overlapping clock signals to said control terminal. The logic assembly further comprises an output boosting circuit (420) for boosting the output of said logic assembly (400) including a capacitive means (421) for enabling supply of additional charge to the output of said logic assembly (400).

Abstract: A One Time Programmable (OTP) memory cell (10) comprising a first, metallic layer (12) coated with a second, conductive stable transition compound (14) with an insulating layer (16) there-between. The first and second layers (12, 14) are selected according to the difference in Gibbs Free Energy between them, which dictates the chemical energy that will be generated as a result of an exothermic chemical reaction between the two materials. The materials of the first and second layers (12, 14) are highly thermally stable in themselves but, when a voltage is applied to the cell (10), a localized breakdown of the insulative layer (16) results which creates a hotspot (18) that sets off an exothermic chemical reaction between the first and second layers (12, 14). The exothermic reaction generates sufficient heat (20) to create a short circuit across the cell and therefore reduce the resistance thereof.

Abstract: An electronic circuit comprises a memory matrix (60) with rows and columns of memory cells (16). First row conductors (10, 12) are provided for each of the rows. Second row conductors (12) are provided for successively overlapping pairs of adjacent rows. Column conductors (14) are provided for each of the columns. Each of the memory cells (16) comprises an access transistor (160), a node (166) and a first and second resistive memory element (162, 164). The access transistor (160) is preferably a vertical transistor having a control electrode coupled to the first row conductor (10) of the row of the memory cell (16), a main current channel coupled between the column conductor (14) for the column of the memory cell (160) and the node (166). The first and second resistive memory element (162, 164) are coupled between the node (166) and the second row conductors (12) for the pairs of rows to which the memory cell belongs.

Abstract: A record carrier comprises three layers that react with each other when irradiated to form a mark on the record carrier. The three layers are separated by a two separating layers that prevent direct contact of the three layers thus providing stability to the record carrier. By irradiating one or both separating layers a region of those separating layers is destroyed or altered whereby an opening is created and the reaction of the layers adjacent to the separating layer is no longer prevented in that region and a mark can be formed. Since either one or two reactions can take place if one or both separating layers are destroyed or altered multiple reflection levels for a mark can be obtained, thus enabling multilevel recording where a single mark can represent more information compared to the situation where only two reflection levels can be obtained. The size of the resulting opening determines the size of the mark and can thus be used to create a very small mark allowing high density recordings.

Abstract: A record carrier (10) and a method of recording an image on a record carrier (10) are provided. On top of a colored pixel pattern layer (14) a mask layer (18) is arranged, the optical transparency of which can be changed by applying heat by a laser beam (24). In order to protect the colored pixel pattern layer (14) against the heat applied by the laser beam (24), a thermal barrier layer (16) is provided between the colored pixel pattern layer (14) and the mask layer.

Abstract: A record carrier (10) and a method of recording an image on a record carrier (10) are provided. A plurality of optical property changing layers (12, 14, 16) that change their Color upon the application of thermal energy applied by a laser beam (18) is provided. It depends on the power of the laser beam (18) which layer of the stack is reached and thereby colored. Since the temperature to induce an optical property change increases from one layer to the subsequent layer, a fine adjustment of the laser power is not needed.

Abstract: A logic assembly (400) is composed from circuit elements of a single threshold and single conductivity type and comprises a logic circuitry (410) having at least a set of switches each having a main current path and a control terminal. The main current path forms a series arrangement having first and second conducting terminals coupled to power supply lines. The main current pathes being coupled to a common node that forms an output of logic assembly (400). The control terminals of said switches being coupled to clock circuitry for providing mutually non-overlapping clock signals to said control terminal. The logic assembly further comprises an output boosting circuit (420) for boosting the output of said logic assembly (400) including a capacitive means (421) for enabling supply of additional charge to the output of said logic assembly (400).

Abstract: An amplifier/buffer composed from circuit elements of a single threshold and single conductivity type, comprising an input stage for receiving one or more inputs for buffering/amplification and providing an intermediate to control output of the amplifier/buffer. The intermediate signal is provided to a boosting circuit configured to boosts said signal when said signal has exceeded a predetermined value. The amplifier/buffer further has an output stage for receiving at least said signal and providing an amplified/buffered output.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of writing information on an optical recording medium (10 to 38), the optical recording medium having at least one data layer (40) for storing data readable by use of an optical readout device and at least one label layer (42) for storing visible information, the method comprising the steps of: focusing a first wavelength laser beam (44 to 58) onto the at least one data layer for writing data on the data layer, and focusing a second wavelength laser beam (60 to 78) onto the at least one label layer for writing visible information on the label layer, thereby a laser spot size being usable that is also employable when using the second wavelength laser beam for writing data on a data layer for storing data readable by use of an optical readout device. The present invention further relates to an optical recording medium and to a method of manufacturing an optical recording medium.

Abstract: In an optical scanning device (10) capable of scanning an information plane of an optical record carrier (5) of different types such as BD, DVD and CD, the diameter of the radiation spot on the detector (7) is dependent on the numerical aperture of the objective system (4) that is used for scanning the record carrier An optimal design of the optical detection system for scanning a BD, result in a small radiation spot for the other types such as DVD and CD.

Abstract: An optical data storage medium is described. It comprises at least a substrate, having a surface with data stored in pits that are embossed into the substrate and in spaces separating the pits, a reflective layer covering the surface and having an intrinsic optical reflectivity R at a wavelength ?, a transparent cover stack formed on the reflective layer, the pattern of pits being readable through the cover stack by means of the focused radiation beam having the wavelength ?. The value of R on the spaces separating the pits is substantially different from the value of R on the bottom of the pits. An improved signal quality is achieved, e.g for BD-ROM discs. Further methods for manufacturing such a medium are described, e.g. inclined sputtering or selective etching.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drive for accessing an optical record carrier (2) comprising means (4) for determining the type of record carrier, in particular for distinguishing a read-only record carrier from a recordable or rewritable record carrier having a wobbled groove in the lead-in zone, said means comprising: a DPD measuring unit (41) for measuring the differential phase detection (DPD) signal, a PP measuring unit (42) for measuring the push-pull (PP) signal in case no DPD signal could be measured, a wobble locking unit (43) for locking, in case a PP signal could be measured, to the wobble embedded in said wobbled groove using a first and/or a second polarity setting, and an indication unit (44) for generating a first indication signal indicating that the record carrier is a read-only record carrier if a DPD signal could be measured and that the record carrier is a recordable or rewritable record carrier if no DPD signal but a PP signal could be measured and if locking to the wobble has been suc

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a corresponding device for recording marks representing data in an information layer of a record carrier by irradiating the information layer by means of a pulsed radiation beam, wherein a mark is written by a sequence of write pulses, the number of write pulses of the sequence for writing a mark of length NT, T being the length of a reference clock, being determined by application of a predetermined write strategy. In order to make use of new lasers and laser drivers generating shorter laser pulses and in order to enable precise mark edge positioning leading to less bit errors it is proposed that for writing a mark of length NT either a first write strategy using (N+k) write pulses, a second write strategy using trunk(N/2+k) write pulses, or a third write strategy using trunk(N/3+k) write pulses, k being an integer equal to or larger than one, is applied.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical disc (10) comprising a hybrid information layer with at least two congruently adjoining spirals, whereby a first spiral (12) of said adjoining spirals comprises a ROM section containing read only data and a second spiral (14) of said adjoining spirals comprises a recordable section having a pre-groove provided for tracking purposes during recording. Said ROM section and said recordable section are arranged at least partially adjoining each other thereby forming an overlap region where a track of said first spiral containing read only data is arranged next to an associated track of said second spiral containing a pre-groove.