Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical recording medium containing a laminated structure of a first deformable material layer containing a phase-change material that absorbs light at a recording wavelength to generate heat and is subject to exothermic melting and deformation and a second deformable material layer containing a material which contains a silicon oxide (SiOx; 0<x?2) that transmits light and is subject to thermal deformation and alteration. After information is recorded, the thickness of the first deformable material layer is changed according to the recorded information making center of the recorded marks thicker than the ends and the second deformable material layer is deformed and altered corresponding to the concave-convex-pattern formed on the first deformable material layer based on the recorded information and when the information is reproduced, the first deformable material layer is altered from solid to molten state.

Abstract: In an optical disk including at least a rewritable phase change material and comprising a recording layer having a reflectivity of more than 15%, an address output value as an address pit signal component occupying in a reproduced signal in a non recording state is prescribed to be 0.18 though 0.27 or a numerical aperture of an address pit signal occupying in a reproduced signal in a non recording state is prescribed to be more than 0.3.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention, to provide a recording method and a storage medium for BCA data with high reliability for a storage medium and a method for reproducing BCA data from the storage medium, and an information recording apparatus and an information reproducing apparatus. In a conventional optical disk, low reliability data is recorded in a data area of BCA. Thus, the thickness of a film material for use in a recording layer oriented to BCA data or close to the inner periphery of the storage medium in the vicinity thereof is formed in uniform thickness by using a substrate of the storage medium, the substrate being formed by being suctioned by means of adsorbing mechanisms formed in an arc shape so as to integrated two of the adsorbing mechanisms to be adjacent to each other.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical disk system having at least: an optical disk including, on a substrate having pre-pits, an image-recording layer capable of drawing an image by irradiating a laser light; and a reading device which reads information included in the pre-pits by a return light of the laser light when the laser light having a wavelength of in a range of 630 to 680 nm is irradiated to the pre-pit of the optical disk. The pre-pits have a shortest pit length in a range from 0.6 to 0.9 ?m being formed on the substrate. The invention further provides an optical disk recording apparatus, an image drawing method and an optical disk which utilize the optical disk system.

Abstract: A fabrication method of a multilayer optical recording medium having a plurality of recording layers, comprises a step of preparing an optical recording medium having at least one record area; a write-position mark generating step of recording write-position marks in the record area beforehand; a step of preparing an optical system including a common objective lens to focus a data recording beam and a position mark recording beam on different positions in a thickness direction of the record area; a first data writing step of writing data between the write-position marks with following the write-position marks by the data recording beam; a position mark recording step of, in parallel with the first data writing step, recording new write-position marks in the record area by the position mark recording beam; and a second data writing step of writing data between the new write-position marks with following the new write-position marks by the data recording beam.

Abstract: The optical storage medium comprises a substrate layer, a data layer, and a nonlinear layer with a super-resolution structure disposed on the data layer, wherein pits and lands having a size above a diffraction limit of a pickup for reading of the data establish a first and a second level of the data layer, and pits and lands having a size below the diffraction limit of the pickup are arranged on a further level of the data layer. In a preferred embodiment, pits having a size below the diffraction limit are arranged on a third level and lands having a size below the diffraction limit are arranged on a fourth level of the data layer. The optical storage medium is in particular a read-only optical disc comprising a phase-change material, for example AgInSbTe, for providing the super-resolution effect.

Abstract: A method is designed for forming a visual image having a specified shape on a surface of an optical disk by using an optical writing process of irradiating a laser beam onto the surface of the optical disk to form pits. The optical disk is normally capable of recording information on the surface thereof by the optical writing process. The method is carried out by the steps of acquiring image formation information associated to a visual image to be formed, forming the visual image on the surface of the optical disk based on the acquired image formation information by using the optical writing process, and recording the image formation information together with the formed visual image on the surface of the same optical disk.

Abstract: A bit pattern for a run-in area which allows data reproduction to be performed stably even when the recording density of an optical disc is increased is provided. An optical disc according to the present invention includes tracks, each of which divided into a plurality of recording blocks. Each of the plurality of blocks includes a run-in area and a data area. In the run-in area, a prescribed run-in bit pattern is recordable; and in the data area, bit patterns having a plurality of bit lengths obtained by modulating data as a recording target in accordance with a prescribed modulation rule are recordable. In this optical disc, at least one of spatial frequencies corresponding to the bit patterns having the plurality of bit lengths is higher than a cutoff frequency. The run-in bit pattern recordable in the run-in area includes the bit patterns having the plurality of bit lengths, from which the bit pattern corresponding to the frequency higher than the OTF cutoff frequency has been excluded.

Abstract: A recording medium, and a method and apparatus for recording data in the recording medium. The recording medium including an inner area, a data area, and an outer area includes a first test area contained in the inner area, and a second test area contained in the outer area, wherein the first and second test areas are formed by a predetermined wobble modulation method equal to that of the data area. Therefore, the recording medium can be applied to a method for manufacturing a Blu-ray disc, and data can be effectively recorded/reproduced in/from the recording medium, such as the Blu-ray disc.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium reproducing device (1) reproduces information from a super-resolution optical information recording medium (100a) having the information stored therein by positioning, according to a random pattern system, a plurality of recording marks including a recording mark shorter than a resolution limit of an optical system. This reproducing device (1) performs test readings for measuring indexes each relating to a reproduction quality of the super-resolution optical information recording medium (100a) by emitting laser light onto a storage surface of the super-resolution optical information recording medium (100a), while changing a reproduction laser power from a predetermined initial value, and based on the indexes measured, sets a reproduction laser power for reproducing the information.

Abstract: In a case of performing recording/playing with an information recording layer with a first light irradiation, and controlling the recording/playing positions on the information recording layer by a second light irradiating as to a position control information recording layer provided separately from the information recording layer, corrections to shifts in recording positions and playing positions that occurs as a result of shifts in the optical axes of the first and second lights. A disc-shaped recording medium has multiple pit row phases wherein, the pit rows having a spacing between one round of pit formable positions that is limited to a predetermined first spacing are formed in a spiral shape or concentrically, and with pit rows arrayed in the radius direction, the spacing in the pit row forming direction of the pit formable positions is set to positions shifted by a predetermined second spacing.

Abstract: A data storage medium such as an optical disc with separate image and data tracks, and a method and apparatus for forming the same. The medium has a user data storage area with a data track to store user data, and a non-user data image track to store human readable information to form a watermark interspersed with the user data. Preferably, the data track forms a portion of a first spiral and the image track forms a portion of a distinct second spiral nested within the first spiral. Alternatively, the data and image tracks are nested concentric circles. An increased track pitch is preferably provided for the data tracks in the data storage area adjacent the watermark to accommodate the intervening image tracks, and a reduced track pitch between data tracks is provided elsewhere. The medium can be pre-recorded or recordable.

Abstract: An optical encoder includes an optical encoding disc, a light source module, a motor, and an optical detection system. The optical encoding disc includes a plurality of concentric annular tracks. Each track includes a plurality of coding units. Each coding unit includes a light converging portion and a light diverging portion. The light converging portions and the light diverging portions are arranged alternately along a circumferential direction of the optical encoding disc. The motor is configured for driving the optical encoding disc to rotate. The optical detection system includes a plurality of photo-detectors arranged in a line parallel to a radius of the optical encoding disc. Each photo-detector is corresponding to each track of the optical encoding disc respectively. Each photo-detector is configured for receiving the light beam transmitted through the corresponding track, and generating a voltage according to an intensity of the received light beam.

Abstract: Plural grooves or lands formed in an information recording carrier include at least a wobbling region and data is recorded wobblingly in this wobbling region by phase shift modulation while recorded digitally with a single or multiple waves as a channel bit.

Abstract: The optical storage medium comprises a substrate layer, a data layer having a pit/land data structure with data arranged in tracks on the substrate layer, and a nonlinear layer with a super-resolution structure disposed on the data layer, wherein a land having a size below the diffraction limit is inverted to a pit and enclosed by auxiliary lands, and a pit having a size below the diffraction limit is inverted to a land and enclosed by auxiliary pits. The optical storage medium is in particular a read-only optical disc comprising a phase-change material, for example AgInSbTe, for providing the super-resolution effect.

Abstract: An optical recording medium including a plurality of recording layers to record/reproduce information using light with a predetermined wavelength, the information being recorded on one of the recording layers using a mark and a space, wherein a channel clock period T is provided for recording the mark on one of the recording layers. A plurality of pulses, including a last pulse arranged at an end of the pulses, are used to record the mark with length 3T, the mark being recorded with a condition that a width of the last pulse is minimum 0T and maximum 1.10T, in which a first subsequent level lower than a peak power level of the last pulse is arranged next to the last pulse, and a second subsequent level lower than the peak power level but higher than the first subsequent level is arranged next to the first subsequent level.

Abstract: A visible pattern is obtained by modulating the digital sum value. Because the digital sum value modulation allows the choice of several different channel bits groups between DC control points, the selection of a group of channel bits resulting in a change of reflection. This creation of a visible pattern is highly suitable for Blueray as the parity preserving property of the channel code guarantees disparity inversion by the DC-control bit, which keeps the DSV excursions between hard limits. As a result only small DSV deliberate variations are required to produce a grating, which will not deteriorate the bit-detection margin of the optical disc.

Abstract: A method for writing a signal on an optical disk is disclosed. The optical disk comprises a track groove on a recording surface thereof, on which information is recorded along the track groove on a block-by-block basis each said block having a predetermined length and where an identification mark indicating the beginning of each said block, has been formed on the track groove. Writing is started before the identification mark, located at the beginning of at least one block on which the signal should be written, is reached and writing is ended after the identification mark located at the end of the at least one block on which the signal should be written has been passed.

Abstract: The optical disc comprises a substrate layer, a read-only data layer having a pit/land data structure including user data and control data arranged in tracks on the substrate layer, and a nonlinear layer with a super-resolution structure disposed on the data layer, wherein the control data are correctly readable only by including a reverse rotation of the disc. The control data include in particular a protection code for the disc, for example a copy protection code, so that the user data of the disc are only readable after reading of the control data.

Abstract: Plural grooves or lands formed in an information recording carrier include at least a wobbling region and data is recorded wobblingly in this wobbling region by phase shift modulation while recorded digitally with a single or multiple waves as a channel bit.

Abstract: Multilayered optical information recording media involve a problem that a BCA is erroneously formed in a different information recording layer even if the BCA is intended to be formed in a specific information recording layer. An optical information medium (1) for recording/reproducing information by applying a laser beam includes two or more recording layers (11, 12) for recording/reproducing information by receiving a laser beam at the same laser beam incident surface (1a). A geometrical irregularity (K) is formed in an area (inner peripheral side) (21) for a BCA on one recording layer (12), and a mirror surface is formed in the area of the other information recording layer (11) corresponding to the BCA area (21). The geometrical irregularity (K) is detected when focus servo is actuated so as to detect the desired information recording layer. Thus, a BCA is prevented from being erroneously formed in another information recording layer.

Abstract: The optical storage medium comprises a substrate layer, and a data layer having a mark/space data structure with data arranged in tracks on the substrate layer, , wherein between neighboring tracks alternatingly a groove section or a land section without a groove is arranged. The tracks, groove sections and land sections may be arranged by providing a single spiral, two spirals, or four spirals on the optical storage medium. The optical storage medium is in particular an optical disc comprising a nonlinear layer with a super-resolution structure arranged above the data layer.

Abstract: A method for producing a multilayer optical disk including a plurality of information storage layers is disclosed. The method includes a mastering step of preparing a plurality of metal dies, a replicating step of producing a base plate onto which a desired pattern is transferred using the plurality of metal dies and forming recordable/reproducible information storage layers. The desired pattern includes a wobbling tract pattern that is formed by combining a plurality of wobble patterns each having the same fundamental frequency. The mastering step produces the plurality of metal dies for the plurality of information storage layers having a shape that specifies a track groove whose shape factor differs from one information storage layer to another.

Abstract: An information recording medium such as DVD-R, DVD-RW or the like is provided with a user information recording area in which user information can be recorded. The user information recording area has pre-recorded areas for preventing recording/reproduction of the user information, in a plurality of portions. The user information recording area is divided by the pre-recorded areas into a plurality of partial recording areas including a partial recording area smaller than a unit area in which record information of a read-only recording medium is recorded.

Abstract: An information recording medium having a recording track wherein the recording track includes a first recording region R1, a second recording region R2 and a recording region transition section Sx arranged between regions R1 and R2; a track pitch tp1, a groove width w1 and a groove depth d1 in region R1, and a track pitch tp2, a groove width w2and a groove depth d2 in region R2 satisfy formula (1), (2) and/or (3); the recording region transition section Sx includes a track pitch transition section Stp in which the track pitch changes from tp1 to tp2 and a groove shape transition section Sg in which the groove width changes from w1 to w2 and/or the groove depth changes from d1 to d2; and the track pitch transition section Stp and the groove shape transition section Sg at least partially overlap to share a region SL.

Abstract: An optical pickup is disposed which irradiates a laser beam onto an optical disc where a guide groove having characteristics of thermal interference (heat discoloration) is spirally formed. The optical pickup irradiates the laser beam along the guide groove to conduct one of data recording in which pits indicating a data length are formed, and visible-image formation in which a part of the optical disc is discolored. The laser beam irradiation position is controlled so that the data recording is conducted with starting from the inner peripheral side of the optical disc, and the visible-image formation is conducted with starting from the outer peripheral side of the optical disc.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium is provided with a substrate having a pregroove formed on one main plane; a reflecting layer arranged on the one main plane of the substrate and reflecting an access controlling laser beam; a selective reflecting layer arranged on the reflecting layer, transmitting the access controlling laser beam and reflecting a recording laser beam; a recording layer arranged on the selective reflecting layer for having information recorded thereon by the recording laser beam; and a reflection preventing layer arranged on the recoding layer. On the substrate, a dummy groove having a shape similar to that of the pregroove is formed on forming regions adjacent to an effective access region on the one main plane.

Abstract: An optical disk includes a first area on which user information is recorded, and a second area in which a plurality of marks radially extending are arranged in a track direction in the optical disk. Information about the reflectance of the optical disk is recorded in the second area. It is intended to optimize the amplification factor of the reproduced signal on the basis of the information about the reflectance of the optical disk in the second area. Control data and user data can be reproduced quickly and highly reliably without depending on the relationship between the reflectances of a recording area and a non-recorded area of the optical disk.

Abstract: There is provided an optical disc having preformed thereon a spiral wobbled track as a grove and/or land along with data is to be recorded. The track is wobbled for a series of predetermined signal units each composed of an FSK information bit part based on a waveform resulted from FSK modulation of information bit and a singe-frequency part based on a waveform of a single frequency. The FSK modulation uses two different frequencies of which the one is the same as the single frequency and the other is different from the single frequency. These different frequencies are in such a relation that each of them has an even number of wobbles and an odd number of wobbles alternately in a predetermined cycle.

Abstract: An optical recording medium includes a first half-disc and a second half-disc. The first half-disc includes a substrate and an information layer (including a reflective layer) formed on a first side of the substrate. The second half-disc is bonded by an adhesive to a second side of the substrate of the first half-disc. In addition, a cover layer is formed over the first reflective layer. The cover layer has a thickness of approximately 0.1 mm. The substrate of the first half-disc has a thickness in a range of 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm. The first and second half-discs together have a combined thickness in a range of 0.8 mm to 1.3 mm.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a high-density optical storage medium which comprises a substrate structure having a thickness of 1.0 mm or more and including one or more information layers, a high-density information layer bonded via an adhesive spacer layer to the substrate structure, and a cover layer over the high-density information layer. The high-density information layer can be formed by transferring a reflective film to the substrate structure from a substrate formed of a material (such as polymethyl methacrylate) that does not bond well with the reflective film.

Abstract: An exemplary optical encoding disc includes a plurality of concentric annular tracks. Each track includes a plurality of coding units. Each coding unit includes a light converging portion and a light diverging portion. The light converging portions and the light diverging portions are arranged alternately along a circumferential direction of the optical encoding disc.

Abstract: An optical data storage medium (1) comprising a dye-based recording layer is described. It has substantially parallel tracks for recording user information in a pattern of optically detectable marks, the tracks being provided with a guide groove, the groove being present in a user data area (3) and in an information area (2) and being trackable by a focused radiation beam (7) with the push pull method. The value of the normalized push pull signal (PPN) in the unrecorded information area is PPN-i and the value of PPN in the unrecorded user data area is PPN-u and PPN-i is lower than PPN-u. It is achieved that the information area of such an optical data storage may be read by a legacy optical data drive without causing damage to the drive. Further an apparatus for reading and a corresponding method are described.

Abstract: An information recording medium 1 at least comprises a substrate 13 having a microscopic pattern 20, which is constituted by a shape of continuous substance of approximately parallel grooves formed with a groove section G and a land section L alternately, a recording layer 12 formed on the microscopic pattern 20 and a light transmission layer 11 formed on the recording layer. The microscopic pattern 20 is formed so as to satisfy a relation of P<?<NA and a thickness of the light transmission layer 11 is within a range of 0.07 to 0.12 mm, wherein P is a pitch of the groove section G or the land section L, ? is a wavelength of reproducing light beam and NA is a numerical aperture of an objective lens. Further, there provided an information recording medium, which is improved in cross erase and recorded in high density, and a reproducing apparatus and a recording apparatus for the information recording medium.

Abstract: An information recording medium having at least a read only area and a recording and reproducing area is composed of at least: a substrate; a recording layer formed on the substrate so as to record and reproduce information; and a light transmission layer having transparency formed on the recording layer. The information recording medium is further characterized in that a wobbling groove corresponding to the read only area and another wobbling groove corresponding to the recording and reproducing area is formed on the substrate without overlapping with each other, the recording and light transmitting layers are continuously adhered over at least two areas of the read only area and the recording and reproducing area, reflectivity of the recording layer is more than 5%, and a push-pull signal output T3 reproduced from the read only area and another push-pull signal output T4 reproduced from the recording and reproducing area before recording satisfies relations of T3?0.1, T4?0.1 and 1.5?T3/T4?0.5.

Abstract: An optical disc (101) to and from which information can be reproduced and recorded by laser irradiation is provided with a first recording layer (102) and a second recording layer (104). The first recording layer (102) has a first recording mark (103) that is formed in a spiral track. The second recording layer (104) is behind or in front of the read-side surface of the first recording layer (102), and neither a wobble track nor a track for reproducing or recording information by laser irradiation is formed on the second recording layer (104). On the second recording layer (104) are formed, by laser irradiation, a second recording mark (105) that is positioned in the radial direction of the optical disc according to a predetermined position on the spiral track of the first recording layer. The optical disc (101) ensures the secrecy of the copyright protected information that is recorded thereto and the copyright protection function of the optical disc (101), and is resistant against illegal copying.

Abstract: A data storage master disk and method of making a data storage master disk. The data storage disk master is for use in a data storage disk replication process. The data storage disk molding processes produces replica disks having a surface relief pattern with replica lands and replica grooves. The method includes providing a master substrate. The master substrate is at least partially covered with a layer of photosensitive material. A surface relief pattern having master lands and master grooves is recorded in the data storage disk master, including the steps of exposing and developing the photosensitive material is controlled to form master grooves extending down to a substrate interface between the master substrate and the layer of photosensitive material, such that the width of the master grooves at the substrate interface corresponds to a desired width of the replica lands.

Abstract: A recording medium is provided and includes; a substrate having a first area formed with a first groove and a second area formed with a second groove, at least one information layer provided on the substrate, and a protecting layer provided on the information layer. Predetermined binary information has previously been recorded on the first groove and the first groove is shallower or narrower than the second groove.

Abstract: An optical recording medium and a method of recording and reproducing of the optical recording medium are provided, which are capable of recording and reproducing data with reliability even when blue or blue violet laser light is used as irradiation light. The optical recording medium has a recording layer in which a recording mark composed of a plurality of cavities is formed by irradiation of the laser light. The recording layer is configured so that, in a plan view taken in a direction of irradiation of the laser light, cavities lying in an area of the center and its vicinities of the recording mark, out of the plurality of cavities, include cavities greater than ones lying around the area.

Abstract: An information recording medium 1 at least comprises a substrate 13 having a microscopic pattern 20, which is constituted by a shape of continuous substance of approximately parallel grooves formed with a groove section G and a land section L alternately, a recording layer 12 formed on the microscopic pattern 20 and a light transmission layer 11 formed on the recording layer. The microscopic pattern 20 is formed so as to satisfy a relation of P<?<NA and a thickness of the light transmission layer 11 is within a range of 0.07 to 0.12 mm, wherein P is a pitch of the groove section G or the land section L, ? is a wavelength of reproducing light beam and NA is a numerical aperture of an objective lens.

Abstract: An information recording medium is at least composed of a substrate having a microscopic pattern constituted by a continuous substrate of grooves formed with a groove portion and a land portion alternately, a recording layer formed on the microscopic pattern for recording information, and a light transmitting layer formed on the recording layer. The microscopic pattern is formed with satisfying a relation of P??/NA, wherein P is a pitch of the land portion or the groove portion, ? is a wavelength of reproducing light for reproducing the recording layer, and NA is a numerical aperture of an objective lens. The land portion is formed with wobbling so as to be parallel with each other for both sidewalls of the land portion. An auxiliary information based on data used supplementally when recording the information and a reference clock based on a clock used for controlling a recording speed when recording the information is recorded alternately.

Abstract: An information recording medium is at least composed of a substrate having a microscopic pattern constituted by a continuous substrate of grooves formed with a groove portion and a land portion alternately, a recording layer formed on the microscopic pattern for recording information, and a light transmitting layer formed on the recording layer. The microscopic pattern is formed with satisfying a relation of P??/NA, wherein P is a pitch of the land portion or the groove portion, ? is a wavelength of reproducing light for reproducing the recording layer, and NA is a numerical aperture of an objective lens. The land portion is formed with wobbling so as to be parallel with each other for both sidewalls of the land portion. An auxiliary information based on data used supplementally when recording the information and a reference clock based on a clock used for controlling a recording speed when recording the information is recorded alternately.

Abstract: A super-resolution optical recording medium has at least a recording layer and a super resolution layer on a substrate. In the recording layer, a minimum recording mark is formed with spaces within a beam spot of a laser beam in recording. The minimum recording mark has a size of a resolution limit of a reproduction optical system or less, and can be reproduced by the reproduction optical system due to the existence of the super solution layer. The minimum recording mark in an AFM image takes the shape of a convex arc on a leading edge thereof and the shape of a concave arc on a trailing edge thereof (the AFM image is a plan view which can be observed on a surface when the light transmission layer is removed), and spaces have the similar shape to these.

Abstract: A super-resolution optical recording medium includes a reflective layer formed on a substrate, a recording layer for recording information thereon, a super-resolution layer made of a chalcogenide semiconductor material, and a first and a second dielectric layers laminated on upper and lower surfaces of the super-resolution layer. The recording layer is made of a material that has a decomposition temperature higher than an information reproduction temperature and does not form bubble recording marks during recording, and the super-resolution layer contains one or more elements selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, and boron.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high data density optical recording medium. The invention further relates to an apparatus for reading from such an optical recording medium. The optical recording medium has marks that are arranged in tracks. The tracks have a cross section with a curved shape and protrude above a surface of the optical recording medium.

Abstract: Provided is an optical information recording medium that can be recorded with data with only a special recording apparatus and the recorded data can be read out with a general recording/reproducing apparatus. The optical information recording medium includes a disc-like light-transmissive substrate having a surface provided with a spiral groove WB having a wobble and a land LN between adjacent segments of the groove WB, a light-absorbing layer disposed on the surface of the light-transmissive substrate, and a light reflection layer disposed on the light-absorbing layer. The groove WB has a depth Ds of about 140 nm?Ds?155 nm, the light-absorbing layer has a recess with a depth Dd of about 95 nm?Dd?105 nm in the groove, and a push-pull signal before recording has a value of about 0.3 or less. The optical information recording medium may include an anti-illegal copy measure.

Abstract: An information recording medium (100) is provided with a plurality of recording layers (L0 layer, L1 layer) to record therein record information, and property information (200) indicating properties of the each recording layer is recorded in each of the plurality of recording layers.

Abstract: In a recording disc, a straight groove (31) and a position determining pit (33) are formed in an inner circumference area (21), and a straight groove (34) and an over-run preventing pit (36) are formed in an outer circumference area (22), and only a straight groove (37) is formed over the entire middle area (23).

Abstract: An optical recording medium of a pitting recording type, to which recording marks are formed by irradiation with a violet laser beam having a wavelength ? in the range of about 380 to about 450 nm, includes a substrate having a surface provided with guide grooves and lands, and a metal recording layer in which recording marks are formed by irradiation with a laser beam. The guide grooves and the lands meet conditions expressed by: ?/18?DG??/11??(1) 1.5?WG/WL?3.5??(2) Where ? is the wavelength of the laser beam used for writing and reading, DG, is the depth of the grooves, WG is the width of the grooves, and WL is the width of lands formed on the substrate, and the wavelength ? is in the range of 380 to 450 nm.

Abstract: An optical disk includes: a substrate shaped in a disk, and having a recording surface; a plurality of recording tracks formed substantially coaxially on the recording surface; a plurality of information pits, which are reproducible by a super resolution reproduction, recorded on the plurality of recording tracks in a recording operation of the optical disk; and an address pit for address reproduction formed in advance to the recording operation on the recording surface with respect to one set of recording tracks adjacent to each other in a radial direction of the optical disk.