Abstract: There is provided a storage layer (13) between storage layers (11), (15). The storage layer (13) produces a relatively large spherical aberration for a protection layer thickness error. Information is written to or read from the storage layer (13) with a beam of light having a second wavelength. Information is written to or read from the storage layers (11), (15) with a beam of light having a first wavelength (longer than the second wavelength). Accordingly, a multi-format optical storage medium is realized on which information can be recorded or reproduced with a single objective lens. Also, an optical pickup is realized which is capable of recording or reproducing information on the multi-format optical storage medium.

Abstract: An optical data recording medium, in which irradiation of a light beam is used for recording and/or reproducing data includes (i) a substrate having an a rise and/or a recess which are a light-incident surface, (ii) a reflective layer, provided on the light-incident surface of the substrate, for reflecting the light beam, (iii) a light absorption layer for converting, to heat, a light of the light beam to heat on the surface of the reflective layer, (iv) a reproducing layer, provided on the surface of the heat-light converting layer, having a transmittance that changes in accordance with a light intensity distribution of the light beam. The optical data recording medium is excellent in super-resolution property, and enables reproduction of a shorter mark length.

Abstract: An optical data recording medium, in which irradiation of a light beam is used for recording and/or reproducing data includes (i) a substrate having an a rise and/or a recess which are a light-incident surface, (ii) a reflective layer, provided on the light-incident surface of the substrate, for reflecting the light beam, (iii) a light absorption layer for converting, to heat, a light of the light beam to heat on the surface of the reflective layer, (iv) a reproducing layer, provided on the surface of the heat-light converting layer, having a transmittance that changes in accordance with a light intensity distribution of the light beam. The optical data recording medium is excellent in super-resolution property, and enables reproduction of a shorter mark length.

Abstract: An optical data recording medium, in which irradiation of a light beam is used for recording and/or reproducing data includes (i) a substrate having an a rise and/or a recess which are a light-incident surface, (ii) a reflective layer, provided on the light-incident surface of the substrate, for reflecting the light beam, (iii) a light absorption layer for converting, to heat, a light of the light beam to heat on the surface of the reflective layer, (iv) a reproducing layer, provided on the surface of the heat-light converting layer, having a transmittance that changes in accordance with a light intensity distribution of the light beam. The optical data recording medium is excellent in super-resolution property, and enables reproduction of a shorter mark length.

Abstract: A super-resolution medium (1) has a medium identification information for specifying a type of medium recorded in a medium information area (3) by use of pre-pits having a length not shorter than a length of a resolution limit of an optical system in a reproducing device (10).

Abstract: A super-resolution medium (1) has a medium identification information for specifying a type of medium recorded in a medium information area (3) by use of pre-pits having a length not shorter than a length of a resolution limit of an optical system in a reproducing device (10).

Abstract: A super-resolution medium (1) has a medium identification information for specifying a type of medium recorded in a medium information area (3) by use of pre-pits having a length not shorter than a length of a resolution limit of an optical system in a reproducing device (10).

Abstract: A super-resolution medium (1) has a medium identification information for specifying a type of medium recorded in a medium information area (3) by use of pre-pits having a length not shorter than a length of a resolution limit of an optical system in a reproducing device (10).

Abstract: A super-resolution medium (1) has a medium identification information for specifying a type of medium recorded in a medium information area (3) by use of pre-pits having a length not shorter than a length of a resolution limit of an optical system in a reproducing device (10).

Abstract: A super-resolution medium (1) has a medium identification information for specifying a type of medium recorded in a medium information area (3) by use of pre-pits having a length not shorter than a length of a resolution limit of an optical system in a reproducing device (10).

Abstract: In order to realize (A) an optical information recording medium in which information is stored in high density and can be precisely and securely reproduced, (B) a method for reproducing the optical information recording medium, and (C) an optical information processing apparatus using the optical information recording medium, an optical information recording medium 1, 2, or 3 of the present invention includes: (a) a substrate 12, having pits and/or grooves, each of which is made up of a rise and a recess, and each of which corresponds to recorded information that is optically reproduced by irradiation of a light beam; and (b) at lease one super resolution reproducing film 13, which has an optical property to be changed in response to a temperature increase caused by the irradiation of the light beam, the optical property of the super resolution reproducing film being reversibly changed depending on a temperature change in the super resolution reproducing film.

Abstract: A super-resolution optical recording medium (10) of the present invention includes: a medium information region (1) on which medium identification information is recorded; a content region (3) on which content information is recorded; and a blank region (2) provided between the medium information region (1) and the content region (3) and in which at least two tracks are provided so as to connect a train of prepits in the medium information region (1) and a train of prepits in the content region (3). No information is recorded on the blank region (2). With this arrangement, the present invention provides a super-resolution optical recording medium in which a region on which medium identification information is recorded and a region on which content information is recorded are different in track pitch and in which a reproduction error hardly occurs when reproduction shifts from the region on which the medium identification information is recorded to the region on which the content information is recorded.

Abstract: A super resolution medium (1) is provided with an information signal region (11) where a content, such as a video or audio content, is recorded and a test read region (12) where reproduction setting value adjustment information is recorded for adjusting a setting value for reproduction. A shortest mark length on a first prepit row formed in the information signal region (11) is shorter than a length of an optical system resolution limit of a playback apparatus. The types of mark lengths, recorded in the test read region (12), on the second prepit row for adjusting the setting value are the same as part or all types of mark lengths on the first prepit row. Further, the second prepit row includes a prepit having a mark length shorter than the length of the optical system resolution limit of the payback apparatus. Still further, each of the first and second prepit rows has at least three types of mark lengths.

Abstract: An optical information storage medium includes a light transmitting layer, a first information storage layer, an intermediate layer mainly made of resin, a second information storage layer, and a substrate. The light transmitting layer, the first information storage layer, the intermediate layer, the second information storage layer, and the substrate are layered in this order from a reproduction light incident side. Each of the first information storage layer and the second information storage layer includes: a light absorbing film that absorbs reproduction light to generate heat; and a reproduction film that is heated by the heat generated by the light absorbing film so as to reproduce a signal shorter in mark length than a resolution limit of an optical system of a reproducing apparatus.

Abstract: An optical data recording medium, in which irradiation of a light beam is used for recording and/or reproducing data includes (i) a substrate having an a rise and/or a recess which are a light-incident surface, (ii) a reflective layer, provided on the light-incident surface of the substrate, for reflecting the light beam, (iii) a light absorption layer for converting, to heat, a light of the light beam to heat on the surface of the reflective layer, (iv) a reproducing layer, provided on the surface of the heat-light converting layer, having a transmittance that changes in accordance with a light intensity distribution of the light beam. The optical data recording medium is excellent in super-resolution property, and enables reproduction of a shorter mark length.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium includes a substrate formed in a concave-convex state by providing pits or grooves corresponding to recorded information, used for optically reproducing the information by irradiation of a light beam, and may also include a recording layer. The optical information recording medium includes a temperature responsive layer 21 whose reflectance and/or transmittance for the light beam changes with an increase in temperature caused by the irradiation of a light beam and a light absorption layer 22. With such an arrangement, the present invention provides an optical information recording medium enabling secure and highly accurate readout of information recorded with high density, a recording method and a readout method using the same, a readout device, and a recording device.

Abstract: An optical information storage medium includes a light transmitting layer, a first information storage layer, an intermediate layer mainly made of resin, a second information storage layer, and a substrate. The light transmitting layer, the first information storage layer, the intermediate layer, the second information storage layer, and the substrate are layered in this order from a reproduction light incident side. Each of the first information storage layer and the second information storage layer includes: a light absorbing film that absorbs reproduction light to generate heat; and a reproduction film that is heated by the heat generated by the light absorbing film so as to reproduce a signal shorter in mark length than a resolution limit of an optical system of a reproducing apparatus.

Abstract: By using an existing, relatively inexpensive manufacturing device, micropatterns (e.g. guiding grooves, prepits) having such track pitch and pit pitch that are smaller than the diameter of a light spot are formed more finely. There are provided at least two layers, i.e. (i) a resin substrate and (ii) a depressed part inducing layer made of dielectric material or metal oxide. A light beam is radiated and focused onto the depressed part inducing layer so as to form pit parts and/or guiding grooves on irradiated parts of the resin substrate. The depressed part inducing layer is then removed, so as to expose the pit parts and/or guiding grooves.

Abstract: The subject invention achieves further improvement in recording density for an optical information recording medium using a medium super-resolution effect with a super-resolution film, by reduction of the effective spot diameter in a further effective way. According to the optical information recording medium of the present invention, information is recorded on a recording surface of a substrate 5 in the form of phase pits. On the recording surface, an information layer 4, composed of a reflection film 6, a light-absorbing film 3 and a temperature-responsive film 2, is formed. The temperature-responsive film 2 is made of a ZnO film, which is an inorganic super-resolution film whose complex refractive index changes according to intensity of incident light, the film is also superior in a light transmittance property. The light-absorbing film 3 is made of an Si film 3, which absorbs a part of the incident light so that the temperature of the information layer 4 increases.

Abstract: In an optical information recording medium (1), a light-transmitting layer (10) or a transparent substrate, an information recording layer (20), and a substrate (30) are stacked in this order from a side from which reproducing light (2) enters. The information recording layer (20) includes at least a reproducing film (21) whose complex refractive index at a light source wavelength (?) of the reproducing light (2) is changed by heat. The relationship of 0.67×(?/NA)>TP>0.04×(?/NA) is satisfied, where TP is a track pitch of prepits (31) formed on the substrate (30), and NA is a numerical aperture of an objective lens (55) for converging the reproducing light (2) on the optical information recording medium.