Abstract: A composition that includes a high-valent compound of copper, silver or indium; a linear, branched or cyclic C1-18 alcohol; and a Group VIII metal catalyst forms a metal film of copper, silver or indium on a substrate when the composition is coated on the substrate and heated to reduce the high-valent compound. The composition may alternatively include metal particles of silver, copper or indium in which the surface layer of the particle includes a high-valent compound of copper, silver or indium. A metal film of copper, silver or indium may also be formed on a substrate by coating a substrate with the composition including the metal particles, and heating to reduce the high-valent compound in the same manner as above.

Abstract: To provide a composition with which a metal film can be directly produced from a high-valent metal compound, a method for producing a metal film, and a method for producing a metal powder. Using a composition for production of a metal film of copper, silver or indium, which comprises a high-valent compound of copper, silver or indium, a linear, branched or cyclic C1-18 alcohol and a Group VIII metal catalyst, a coating film is formed, followed by reduction by heating to produce a metal film of copper, silver or indium. Further, using metal particles of silver, copper of indium having a surface layer comprising a high-valent compound of copper, silver or indium, instead of the high-valent compound of copper, silver or indium, a metal film of copper, silver or indium is produced in the same manner as above.

Abstract: A phase-change optical recording medium which attains a high erasability in overwriting at a high linear velocity and has high recording sensitivity, excellent OW cycling characteristics, and excellent weatherability. The phase-change optical recording medium comprises a substrate and formed thereon a multilayered film comprising a protective layer and a recording layer and is that information is recorded/erased based on reversible phase changes in the recording layer between a crystalline phase and an amorphous phase, wherein the protective layer is a film made of an oxide of tantalum or aluminum and at least one carbide, and the content of the carbide is from 1 to 40 mol %.

Abstract: A phase-change optical recording medium which attains a high erasability in overwriting at a high linear velocity and has high recording sensitivity, excellent OW cycling characteristics, and excellent weatherability. The phase-change optical recording medium comprises a substrate and formed thereon a multilayered film comprising a protective layer and a recording layer and is that information is recorded/erased based on reversible phase changes in the recording layer between a crystalline phase and an amorphous phase, wherein the protective layer is a film made of an oxide of tantalum or aluminum and at least one carbide, and the content of the carbide is from 1 to 40 mol %.

Abstract: Disclosed are magneto-optical recording media comprising at least a reflection layer, a recording layer and a dielectric layer laminated on a substrate in this order, wherein the thickness of the dielectric layer is not less than 140 nm or wherein the dielectric layer is provided by the lamination of upper dielectric layer and lower dielectric layer in which the thermal conductivity of the upper dielectric layer is higher than that of the lower dielectric layer. By arranging the thickness of the dielectric layer in a specific range, the surface roughness of a media in not more than 1.5 nm, and providing a reflection layer composed of a noble metal alloy, achieved is a magneto-optical recording medium able to record constantly in near-field magneto-optical recording, suitable for narrow track pitch, and having excellent SNR, resolution, and recording sensitivity.

Abstract: A near field optical recording medium having a header area in which at least an addressing signal or a timing signal is recorded by means of a concave/convex pattern with laser light using a flying optical head. When a concave/convex portion of the concave/convex pattern is to be detected, either an effect due to a change in returning light caused by distance wherein the reflectance is changed or an effect due to a change in returning light caused by a diffraction effect is sufficiently larger, or a combination of such effects (changes by distance effect and changes by diffraction effect) are not weakened by each other, so that header information recorded by the concave/convex pattern can correctly be reproduced even in a super-high density recording medium using near field light.

Abstract: Disclosed are magneto-optical recording media including at least a reflection layer, a recording layer and a dielectric layer laminated on a substrate in this order, wherein the thickness of the dielectric layer is not less than 140 nm or wherein the dielectric layer is provided by the lamination of upper dielectric layer and lower dielectric layer in which the thermal conductivity of the upper dielectric layer is higher than that of the lower dielectric layer. By arranging the thickness of the dielectric layer in a specific range, the surface roughness of a media in not more than 1.5 nm, and providing a reflection layer composed of a noble metal alloy, achieved is a magneto-optical recording medium able to record constantly in near-field magneto-optical recording, suitable for narrow track pitch, and having excellent SNR, resolution, and recording sensitivity.

Abstract: A phase-change optical recording medium which attains a high erasability in overwriting at a high linear velocity and has high recording sensitivity, excellent OW cycling characteristics, and excellent weatherability. The phase-change optical recording medium comprises a substrate and formed thereon a multilayered film comprising a protective layer and a recording layer and is that information is recorded/erased based on reversible phase changes in the recording layer between a crystalline phase and an amorphous phase, wherein the protective layer is a film made of an oxide of tantalum or aluminum and at least one carbide, and the content of the carbide is from 1 to 40 mol %.

Abstract: A near field optical recording medium having a header area in which at least an addressing signal or a timing signal is recorded by means of a concave/convex pattern with laser light using a flying optical head. When a concave/convex portion of the concave/convex pattern is to be detected, either an effect due to a change in returning light caused by distance wherein the reflectance is changed or an effect due to a change in returning light caused by a diffraction effect is sufficiently larger, or a combination of such effects (changes by distance effect and changes by diffraction effect) are not weakened by each other, so that header information recorded by the concave/convex pattern can correctly be reproduced even in a super-high density recording medium using near field light.