Abstract: An optical information recording medium which is capable of performing high-density recording of record data, and storing the recorded data for a long time period such that the recorded data can be normally reproduced during the long time period. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproduction of record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as the main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Cu as the main component and having Zn added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium which is capable of performing high-density recording of record data, and storing the recorded data for a long time period such that the recorded data can be normally reproduced during the long time period. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproduction of record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as the main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Cu as the main component and having Mg added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium which makes it possible to reduce the noise level and improve the C/N ratio and store record data for a long time period. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproduction of record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as a main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Al as a main component and having Mg added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film. The laser beam is irradiated to the recording layer via a light transmitting layer formed in a manner covering the recording layer.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium which is capable of performing high-density recording of record data, and storing the recorded data for a long time period such that the recorded data can be normally reproduced during the long time period. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproduction of record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as the main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Cu as the main component and having Si added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium which makes it possible to reduce the noise level and improve the C/N ratio. An optical information recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate, for having a laser beam irradiated thereto for recording and reproducing record data. The recording layer includes a first sub-recording film and a second sub-recording film. The first sub-recording film is formed of a first material containing Si as a main component. The second sub-recording film is formed of a second material containing Zn as a main component and having Al added thereto, and disposed in the vicinity of the first recording film. The laser beam is irradiated to the recording layer via a light transmitting layer formed in a manner covering the recording layer.

Abstract: An optical recording disk includes a support substrate, grooves and lands alternately formed on one major surface of the support substrate, an optical functioning layer formed on the one major surface of the support substrate on which the grooves and the lands are formed and including a recording layer and a light transmission layer formed on the optical functioning layer, the grooves and the lands being formed so that the depth Gd of each of the grooves is equal to or larger than 15 nm and equal to or smaller than 25 nm and the half width Gw is equal to or larger than 150 nm and is equal to or smaller than 230 nm, and the recording layer including a first recording film containing Si as a primary component and a second recording film containing Cu as a primary component.

Abstract: An optical recording medium includes a recording layer containing an alloy represented by a general formula: (TixM11-x)yM21-y, where element M1 is Si or Al, element M2 is an element selected from the group consisting of Si, Al and Fe and different from the element M1, x is equal to or larger than 0.3 and equal to or smaller than 0.8, and y is equal to or larger than 0.75 and equal to or smaller than 1.

Abstract: An optical recording medium includes a recording layer containing as a primary component an alloy containing at least two elements selected from the group consisting of Fe, Al and Si and the alloy contained in the recording layer as a primary component has a composition [x1, y1, z1] in terms of the ternary composition diagram that falls within a region of a pentagon defined by straight lines connecting points [57, 43, 0], [0, 55, 45], [15, 0, 85], [89, 11, 0] and [0, 16, 84] in the ternary composition diagram.

Abstract: A high-speed, write-once type optical recording medium, which utilizes laser light that is either blue or an even shorter wavelength, as well as an optical recording method and an optical recording apparatus for recording onto this optical recording medium.

Abstract: An optical recording medium includes a recording layer and a dielectric layer formed in the vicinity of the recording layer and the dielectric layer contains an oxide as a primary component and being added with nitrogen. The thus constituted optical recording medium can exhibit excellent optical characteristics with respect to a laser beam of desired wavelength used for recording data and reproducing data.

Abstract: An optical recording medium includes a substrate, a light transmission layer and a plurality of recording layers between the substrate and the light transmission layer and capable of recording data in the plurality of recording layers and reproducing data recorded in the plurality of recording layers by projecting a laser beam via the light transmission layer onto the plurality of recording layers, at least one recording layer other than a farthest recording layer from the light transmission layer among the plurality of recording layers including a first recording film containing Si as a primary component and a second recording film located in the vicinity of the first recording film and containing Cu as a primary component. In the thus constituted optical recording medium, it is possible to record data in a farthest recording layer from the light transmission layer and reproduce data from the farthest recording layer in a desired manner.

Abstract: An optical recording medium includes a substrate, two recording layers provided on the substrate and two dielectric layers each provided adjacent to one of the recording layers, the optical recording medium being constituted so that when it is irradiated with a laser beam having a wavelength &lgr; via an objective lens having a numerical aperture NA satisfying &lgr;/NA≦640 nm from the side opposite from the substrate, a record mark whose reflection coefficient is different from those of other regions of the recording layers is formed in the recording layers and at least a part of a region(s) of the dielectric layers adjacent to the record mark is crystallized to form a crystallized region. According to the thus constituted optical recording medium, it is possible to reproduce a signal having excellent signal characteristics.

Abstract: An optical recording medium includes a substrate, a first recording layer formed on the substrate and containing an element selected from the group consisting of C, Si, Ge and Sn as a primary component, and a second recording layer located in the vicinity of the first recording layer and containing an element selected from the group consisting of C, Si, Ge and Sn and different from the element contained as a primary component in the first recording layer as a primary component. According to thus constituted optical recording medium, it is possible to optically record data therein and reproduce data therefrom by projecting a laser beam having a wavelength of 350 nm to 450 nm thereonto, which includes two or more recording layers and is capable of decreasing noise level and improving C/N ratio of a reproduced signal.

Abstract: An optical recording/reproducing method and an optical recording medium capable of performing excellent optical recording with a simple structure in a recording layer made of environmentally friendly materials. The optical recording medium has a recording layer on a substrate. The recording layer has a pair of dielectric layers of which states are altered by a laser beam that is an energy beam of which intensity is modulated according to information to be recorded. This recording layer also has a assisting-material layer sandwiched by these dielectric layers. The assisting material layer includes an element selected from Sn, Ti, Si, Di, Ge, and C as a principle component, while the dielectric material as a base material for the dielectric layers is any one of ZnS, SiO2, AlN, and Ta2O5.

Abstract: An optical recording/reproducing method and an optical recording medium capable of performing excellent optical recording with a simple structure in a recording layer made of environmentally friendly materials. The optical recording medium has a recording layer on a substrate. The recording layer has a pair of dielectric layers of which states are altered by a laser beam that is an energy beam of which intensity is modulated according to information to be recorded. This recording layer also has a recording assist layer sandwiched by these dielectric layers. The recording assist layer includes an element selected from Sn, Ti, Si, Bi, Ge, and C as a principle component, while the dielectric material as a base material for the dielectric layers is at least one of ZnS, SiO2, AlN, and Ta2O5.

Abstract: An optical recording medium includes a substrate, a light transmission layer and a plurality of recording layers between the substrate and the light transmission layer and capable of recording data in the plurality of recording layers and reproducing data recorded in the plurality of recording layers by projecting a laser beam via the light transmission layer onto the plurality of recording layers, at least one recording layer other than a farthest recording layer from the light transmission layer including a reflective film containing Ag as a primary component and C as an additive. In the thus constituted optical recording medium, recording characteristics and reproducing characteristic of the respective recording layers can be improved.

Abstract: An optical recording/reproducing method and an optical recording medium capable of performing excellent optical recording with a simple structure in a recording layer made of environmentally friendly materials. The optical recording medium has a recording layer formed on a substrate and made of a mixture of a recording assist material and a dielectric material. A laser beam of which intensity is modulated in accordance with information to be recorded is irradiated onto this recording layer to cause a state change in the recording assist material and/or the dielectric material. The information can be recorded by changing optical characteristics thereof such as reflectivity. The recording assist material includes an element selected from Sn, Ti, Si, Bi, Ge, and C as a principle component, while the dielectric material as a base material for the dielectric layers is at least one of ZnS, SiO2, AlN, and Ta2O5.

Abstract: An optical recording medium includes a substrate, a first recording layer formed on the substrate and containing an element selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, C and Al as a primary component, and a second recording layer located in the vicinity of the first recording layer and containing Zn as a primary component, the optical recording medium being constituted to be irradiated by a laser beam projected onto the side opposite from the substrate and the total thickness of the first recording layer and the second recording layer being equal to or thinner than 30 nm. According to the thus constituted optical recording medium, it is possible to decrease a noise level and improve a C/N ratio in a reproduced signal.

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

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