Abstract: Optical information media containing an ultraviolet protection layer are described. The protection layer will reduce or eliminate damage to the media's data layer and substrate.

Abstract: Optical information media containing a metal material layer and a carbon material layer are disclosed. The layering of the metal material layer and the carbon material layer are designed to reduce or eliminate problems associated with oxidation and berm formation during writing of data to the media.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a trimethine cyanine represented by the formula (1): wherein each symbols are defined in the specification. The present invention also relates to a use of the above dimeric trimethine cyanine compound for as a dye, which is used in optic element, particularly a high density recordable optical media.

Abstract: The invention is principally to provide an archival optical recording medium of high quality which has satisfactory recording/reading characteristics when used in high-speed recording and high-density recording. The invention accomplishes the object with an optical recording medium comprising a resin substrate, a recording layer comprising an organic dye, and a reflective layer, wherein the reflective layer has a first reflective layer and a second reflective layer in this order from the side close to the recording layer, the second reflective layer has a thermal conductivity lower than the thermal conductivity of the first reflective layer, and the first reflective layer has a film thickness larger than the thickness of the second reflective layer.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to achieve a recording medium more excellent in preservation resistance than conventional optical recording media. To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an optical recording medium comprising a substrate and a reflective layer, a first dielectric layer, a recording layer, a second dielectric layer and a light-transmission layer formed in this order on the substrate, the recording layer being decomposable by heat at a time of recording to achieve recording of the optical recording medium, wherein the optical recording medium further comprises a third dielectric layer between the second dielectric layer and the light-transmission layer.

Abstract: One embodiment of an optical medium includes a substrate, a data recording layer positioned on the substrate, a selectively transmissive layer positioned on the data recording layer, and a label recording layer positioned on the selectively transmissive layer, the label recording layer optically accessible at only certain wavelengths through the data recording layer and through the selectively transmissive layer.

Abstract: To provide an optical recording medium including a substrate and over the substrate at least a recording layer that can record and reproduce with laser light in a blue wavelength region, wherein the recording layer includes Bi and O as main components, further includes at least any of C and N, and does not include Fe; or an optical recording medium including a substrate and over the substrate at least a recording layer that contains, as main components, Bi oxide, and a simple substance of each of one or more elements M (except Bi, C, and N) that enhance a light absorption function for a recording and reproducing laser light, wherein the optical recording medium can record and reproduce with laser light in a blue wavelength region, is provided.

Abstract: Substrates, coatings and methods for marking substrates using the coatings. The substrate contains a coating of encapsulated marking materials. Capsules of the encapsulated marking materials are designed to preferentially absorb a predetermined wavelength of light or range of wavelengths of light. The capsules contain color chemistry capable of activation by the predetermined wavelength of light or range of wavelengths of light for the generation of a color response. By utilizing capsules of differing color chemistries, such substrates are capable of multi-color image generation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film for a reflection film or for a semi-transparent reflection film, which has at least one silver compound phase of nitride, oxide, complex oxide, nitroxide, carbide, sulfide, chloride, silicide, fluoride, boride, hydride, phosphide, selenide and telluride of silver, dispersed in a matrix formed of silver. The thin film according to the present invention keeps its reflectance without significant loss even after a long period of use, and can prolong the life of various devices which comprises the thin film as a reflection film, such as an optical recording medium and a display. The thin film can be also applied to a semi-reflective/semi-transparent film used in the optical recording medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to optical storage layers and optical storage media having improved properties for the storage of information, data and images, containing an optical storage material produced from a mixture of at least one photoaddressable polymer and at least one additive, and the production and use thereof. In addition, the invention relates to optical security elements containing an optical storage material comprising at least one photoaddressable polymer and at least one additive.

Abstract: An optical recording medium is an optical recording medium having an inorganic recording film and has a transparent conductive film on the inorganic recording film. The inorganic recording film has a first recording film containing titanium (Ti) and a second recording film containing an oxide of germanium (Ge). The transparent conductive film is provided on the side of the second recording film. The transparent conductive film contains an oxide of tin (Sn).

Abstract: An information recording medium is provided that has high recording sensitivity and high erasability, even when a recording layer thereof is as thin as about 3 nm. An information recording medium 15 on which information can be recorded by applying light or electrical energy has at least a recording layer 104 that undergoes phase change, while the recording layer 104 contains at least one element selected from among Zn, Si and C, and Sb in total proportion of 85 atomic % or more and has composition preferably represented by the formula Sb100-a1M1a (atomic %) (wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from among Zn, Si and C, and al is a proportion in term of atomic % that satisfies a relationship of 0<a1?50).

Abstract: A thin film for a reflection film or a semi-transparent reflection film, having a compound phase formed of at least one chemical compound selected from the group consisting of a nitride, an oxide, a complex oxide, a nitroxide, a carbide, a sulfide, a chloride, a silicide, a fluoride, a boride, a hydride, a phosphide, a selenide and a telluride of dysprosium, gadolinium, erbium, praseodymium, samarium, lanthanum and yttrium, dispersed in a matrix formed of silver or a silver alloy. The thin film may disperse at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a nitride, an oxide, a complex oxide, a nitroxide, a carbide, a sulfide, a chloride, a silicide, a fluoride, a boride, a hydride, a phosphide, a selenide and a telluride of silver, and/or gallium, palladium or copper, in addition to dysprosium or the like, therein.

Abstract: The present invention can record or reproduce information in a stable manner with a simple configuration. According to the present invention, since a photoinitiator whose vaporization temperature is between 140 and 400 deg C. is included, a portion around a focal point Fb of a recording optical beam L2c heats up after the recording optical beam L2c is focused, vaporizing the photoinitiator. As a result, an air bubble is formed. This air bubble is left in a recording layer 101 as a cavity after the emission of the recording optical beam L2c ends and the portion around the focal point Fb cools down. When a reading optical beam L2d is emitted, the air bubble can reflect the reading optical beam L2d due to the difference in refractive index between a portion inside the air bubble and the portion outside the air bubble (i.e. the recording layer 101), producing a returning optical beam L3.

Abstract: A hybrid disk useable with a recording and or reproducible apparatus having an optical pickup. The hybrid disk includes a first recording layer having a first format on which data is recordable or readable by a first format beam and a second recording layer having a second format on which the data is recordable or readable by a second format beam. The transmivities and reflectivities of the first and second recording layers are interrelated to control relative intensities of the first and second format beams incident on the optical pickup.

Abstract: A hardcoat agent composition comprising a fluorine-containing polyether compound (A) having a perfluoropolyether unit, urethane bond and active energy ray reactive group and a curable compound (B) having equal to or more than 2 active energy ray polymerizing groups in the molecule. An optical information medium having a film substance composed of single or multiple layers containing at least the recording layer 4 or the reflecting layer on the supporting substrate 20, the optical information medium wherein at least either the surface of the supporting substrate 20 or that of the above-mentioned film substance is formed by the hardcoat layer 8 containing a curable substance of the above-mentioned hardcoat agent composition.

Abstract: A release sheet, on which a stamper receiving layer for producing an optical recording medium is laminated, comprising a release agent layer on a side to which the stamper receiving layer is laminated, wherein the release agent layer is formed using a release agent that contains an organopolysiloxane (other than an MQ resin below) containing an alkenyl group in the molecule, an MQ resin containing an alkenyl group and having, as constituent components, M units represented by formula (1) R12R2—Si—O—??(1) (where, R1 denotes an organic group and R2 denotes an alkenyl group), and Q units represented by formula (2) and a cross-linking agent, and that does not substantially contain particles consisting of inorganic matter, and the alkenyl group content in said MQ resin ranges from 0.5 to 5 wt %. The release sheet can reduce concave defects on a convex-concave pattern transfer surface of the stamper receiving layer.

Abstract: A thin film for a reflection film or a semi-transparent reflection film, which has a compound phase comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a nitride, an oxide, a complex oxide, a nitroxide, a carbide, a sulfide, a chloride, a silicide, a fluoride, a boride, a hydride, a phosphide, a selenide and a telluride of gallium, palladium or copper, dispersed in a matrix formed of silver or a silver alloy. The compound phase in the thin film may include at least one compound selected from the group consisting of nitride, oxide, complex oxide, nitroxide, carbide, sulfide, chloride, silicide, fluoride, boride, hydride, phosphide, selenide and telluride of silver. The thin film of the present invention minimizes the deterioration of the reflectance even after a long period of use, and can prolong the life of various devices which use the thin film as a reflection film, such as an optical recording medium and a display.

Abstract: In a process of manufacturing a disc master, a stamper, a disc substrate, and an optical disc, separation performance between the stamper and the disc substrate and maintenance of satisfactory signal characteristics after the optical disc is manufactured are taken into consideration in the step of manufacturing the disc master. In the disc master, a boundary portion between a recessed portion and a non-recessed portion includes a small protrusion which protrudes from a flat surface of the non-recessed portion. The shape of the disc master is inversely transferred to the stamper, and the shape of the stamper is inversely transferred to the disc substrate. The separation performance is improved and the signal characteristics are maintained due to the shape of the boundary portion.

Abstract: A phase-change recording material used for an information recording medium utilizing a crystalline state as a non-recorded state and an amorphous state as a recorded state, which has the composition of the following formula (1) as the main component: (Sb1?xSnx)1?y?w?zGeyTewM1z??formula (1) wherein each of x, y, z and w represents atomicity, x, z and w are numbers which satisfy 0.01?x?0.5, 0?z?0.3 and 0?w?0.1, respectively, and the element M1 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of In, Ga, Pt, Pd, Ag, rare earth elements, Se, N, O, C, Zn, Si, Al, Bi, Ta, W, Nb and V, and (I) when z=0 and w=0, y is a number which satisfies 0.1?y?0.3, (II) when 0?z?0.3 and w=0, y is a number which satisfies 0.05?y?0.3, and (III) when 0?z?0.3 and 0<w?0.1, y is a number which satisfies 0.01?y?0.3.

Abstract: An optical disc recording medium includes a disc substrate, at least one recording layer which is disposed on one surface side of the disc substrate, a cover layer which is disposed on a laser incident surface side of the recording layer and which is composed of a light-transmissive resin layer, and a hard coat layer which is disposed for surface protection on a laser incident surface side of the cover layer and which is composed of a light-transmissive resin layer. The cover layer is formed such that its thickness decreases from the central portion to the peripheral portion of the disc, the hard coat layer is formed such that its thickness increases from the central portion to the peripheral portion, and the total thickness of the cover layer and the hard coat layer is substantially uniform from the central portion to the peripheral portion.

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: Disclosed herein is a super resolution optical disc. The super resolution optical disc comprises dielectric layers, and a mask layer formed between the dielectric layers, in which the mask layer is constructed as a complex mask layer comprising a metallic oxide (MOx) or metallic nitride (MNy), and a metallic thin film formed thereon. A size of the cavities and an amount of metallic particles in cavities created by illumination of recording laser can be controlled to increase a level of a reproduction signal for recording marks and to enhance the quality of the reproduction signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a pattern of minute surface structures, using a pair of press members which are located opposingly for movements toward and away from each other. One press member is adapted to support thereon a mold having on a transfer surface a master pattern of minute structures to be transferred, while the other press member is adapted to support thereon an annular substrate plate having a curable resin layer coated thereon and to press the resin layer against the transfer surface of the mold to transfer said minute structures to the resin layer. The mod is provided with a circular center hole defining at least three small-diameter segments and three large-diameter segments alternately and at uniform angular intervals along an inner periphery of the mold. The annular substrate plate has an inside diameter exactly matching with the small-diameter segments at the inner periphery of the mold.

Abstract: A silver alloy reflective film for optical information storage media, which can maintain superior environmental resistance, such as high hygrothermal resistance and high light stability, over the long term even when the metal reflective film is in direct contact with a resin layer. An optical information storage medium includes the reflective film and a sputtering target deposits the reflective film. The silver alloy reflective film includes one or more specific elements selected from Pr, Ho, Yb, Sm, Er, Tm, and Tb, to suppress deterioration occurring when the silver alloy reflective film is in direct contact with a resin layer, where silver in the reflective film migrates and aggregates into the adjacent resin layer.

Abstract: A silver-based alloy thin film is provided for the highly reflective or semi-reflective coating layer of optical discs. Elements that can be added to silver to produce useful silver alloys include zinc, aluminum, copper, manganese, germanium, yttrium, bismuth, scandium, and cobalt. These alloys have moderate to high reflectivity and reasonable corrosion resistance in the ambient environment.

Abstract: The optical information recording medium of the present invention includes a plurality of information layers provided on a substrate and an optical separating layer provided between information layer adjacent to each other, and information is recorded or reproduced by irradiation of a laser beam. When an information layer that is provided closest to a laser beam incident side of the plurality of information layers is taken as a first information layer and an optical separating layer provided in contact with the first information layer is taken as a first optical separating layer, then the first information layer comprises a recording layer, a transmittance adjusting layer that adjusts a transmittance of the first information layer, and a low refractive index layer provided between the transmittance adjusting layer and the first optical separating layer.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium includes a recording layer that absorbs recording light in accordance with its wavelength, the recording light being condensed for information recording, and increases the temperature in the vicinity of a focus so as to form a recording mark and that has properties of increasing a light absorption amount with respect to the wavelength of the recording light by heating performed at a temperature of 120° C. or more.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cyanine compound represented by general formula (I) below. Also disclosed are an optical filter using the compound and an optical recording material.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a multi-layered information recording medium of the present invention is an apparatus for manufacturing the multi-layered information recording medium for discharging a stiffening resin to a substrate while relatively moving at least one of the substrate and ink jet heads wherein the apparatus has a plurality of ink jet heads disposed on every different kind of the discharged stiffening resin, and constituted so as to stack-coat the stiffening resin to the substrate. With the constitution, a resin intermediate layer of a thick film, for example, greater than 10 ?m having uniform thickness distribution and excellent in surface smoothness can be formed.

Abstract: An optical recording medium containing a substrate and a recording layer over the substrate, wherein the recording layer primarily contains Bi and O, and further contains B and at least one element X selected from Ge, Li, Sn, Cu, Fe, Pd, Zn, Mg, Nd, Mn and Ni, and a sputtering target containing Bi, B and at least one element X selected from Ge, Li, Sn, Cu, Fe, Pd, Zn, Mg, Nd, Mn and Ni.

Abstract: An optical recording medium, comprises a substrate, an imaging composition disposed on said substrate, said compound comprising: a matrix, a color-forming agent, and a nucleating agent. The nucleating agent increases the nucleation density of at least one component of the color-forming agent.

Abstract: The azo-metal chelate dye to which the present invention is applied is a compound formed as follows: for example, 1,3,4-thiadiazole ring is selected as the diazo component; the diazo component is combined with a coupler component having condensed rings including a fluorine-substituted alkylsulfonylamino group and an amino group, to form an azo dye compound; and the azo dye compound forms chelate bonds with at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni, Cu and Pd. Here, two absorption bands (OD1 and OD2) are seen in the absorption spectrum, which is measured in a range of 400 to 800 nm wavelengths. The azo-metal chelate dye is characterized in that the optical density ratio (OD2/OD1) of the two absorption bands is greater than 1.25. By using this azo-metal chelate dye, an optical recording medium capable of high-speed recording is provided.

Abstract: The main object of the present invention is to provide a substrate for storage media capable of recording and reproducing data for a limited period and capable of being easily recycled, and a method for manufacturing a recycled resin substrate reusable as such a substrate for storage media. In order to achieve the aforementioned object, the present invention provides a substrate for storage media comprising: a resin substrate containing a starch resin; and a resin layer formed on the resin substrate.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium, recording/reproducing method thereof, and recording/reproducing apparatus with superior signal quality for high-density recording that has high storage reliability is provided. The optical information recording medium of the present invention has at least one information layer having a recording layer and a dielectric layer in order on a transparent substrate. The dielectric layer is comprised of greater than or equal to 50 molecule percent and less than or equal to 98 molecule percent of Zn—O, and greater than or equal to 2 molecule percent to less than or equal to 50 molecule percent of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of Y—O, Ce—O, Nb—O, Ta—O, Cr—O and Mo—O.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium is provided and includes a supporting substrate, a light-transmissive protective layer, information recording layers, and at least one interlayer transparent to a laser beam having a wavelength of 400 to 410 nm. Among the information recording layers, one or a plurality of information recording layers other than the information recording layer closest to the supporting substrate each function as a semi-transmissive information recording layer that transmits the laser beam. Some or all of the one or the plurality of semi-transmissive information recording layer include, from the laser beam incident side, a first dielectric portion having a refractive index of 2.4 or more for the wavelength of the laser beam, a recording material portion having a thickness of at least 5.2 nm, a second dielectric portion, a metal portion having a thickness of at least 7 nm, and a third dielectric portion in that order.

Abstract: A hardcoat agent composition comprising a fluorine-containing polyether compound (A) having a perfluoropolyether unit, urethane bond and active energy ray reactive group and a curable compound (B) having equal to or more than 2 active energy ray polymerizing groups in the molecule. An optical information medium having a film substance composed of single or multiple layers containing at least the recording layer 4 or the reflecting layer on the supporting substrate 20, the optical information medium wherein at least either the surface of the supporting substrate 20 or that of the above-mentioned film substance is formed by the hardcoat layer 8 containing a curable substance of the above-mentioned hardcoat agent composition.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel azo dye material based on antipyrine azo structure and metal complexes containing such azo compounds which are suitable for optical recording media. The dyes exert high light-fastnesses properties and excellent recording characteristics. In particular the invention relates to optical layers comprising such dyes, to a method for manufacturing such optical layers and to optical recording media comprising such optical layers.

Abstract: A coating composition containing a solvent and a coating agent having an ionizing radiation-curable compound as a principal component thereof, wherein under the following condition for the concentration a (wt %) of the coating agent in the coating composition 0<a?60, the concentration a of the coating agent and the surface tension b (dyne/cm) of the coating composition satisfy the following relationship b?(?a/15)+26, is applied onto a surface of a protective film 11 and curing is carried out to form a hard coating layer 12. Even in the case that projections or foreign bodies are present on the surface of the protective film 11, the hard coating layer 12 can conceal these and hence can have high surface smoothness.

Abstract: Provided is an optical recording medium including at least a lower substrate having a servo pit pattern, a recording layer on the lower substrate for recording information by holography, an upper substrate on the recording layer, and a transparent resin layer provided between the upper substrate and the recording layer. Forms in which the transparent resin layer contains any one of a thermosetting resin and a slow-setting UV curable resin, and the like are preferable.

Abstract: An optical recording medium, which makes information be recorded and read with light having wavelength of 700 nm or shorter, with excellent light resistance, high-speed recording and high-density recording is provided. The optical recording medium comprises a substrate, a recording layer formed on the substrate and containing a host dye, which can make information be recorded or read by being irradiated with light having wavelength of 700 nm or shorter, and a reflective layer. The recording layer contains at least an azo metal-chelate dye additive, of which central metal ion is any one of Cu2+, Fe2+ and Co2+.

Abstract: An optically detectable information recording medium is at least comprised of a substrate and a recording layer, wherein a surface of the recording layer opposite to another surface of the recording layer in contact with the substrate has a Root Mean Square roughness R? of less than 5 nm, and wherein the recording layer has dye recording material selected from cyanine dye, phthalocyanine dye, naphtalocyanine dye, azo dye, naphtoquinone dye, fulgide dye, polymethyne dye, and acridine dye.

Abstract: A curable resin composition which is easily cured by heating or ultraviolet irradiation and capable of forming a thick cured film due to low shrinkage. This curable resin composition enables to obtain a cured product satisfying various characteristics such as heat resistance, chemical resistance, high surface hardness and high refractive index. Also disclosed is a cured product obtained from such a composition.

Abstract: A multi-layered phase-change optical recording medium having a first substrate and a second substrate, and a plurality of information layers, wherein each of thermal diffusion layers of information layers other than an information layer disposed at the innermost side as viewed from the first substrate side has In oxide, Zn oxide, Sn oxide and Si oxide, and when the contents of thereof are represented by “a”, “b”, “c” and “d” [mol %] respectively, the following requirements are satisfied, and when the refractive index of the first and second substrates was represented by “n”, the laser light wavelength is represented by “?” and the depth of the groove guide of the first and second substrates is represented by H, the H satisfied the following requirement, 3?a?50 0?d?30 a+b+c+d=100 ?/17n?H??/11.5n.

Abstract: A multi-layer information recording medium comprising a substrate that has an inner circumference and an outer circumference, three or more information recording layers and resin layers disposed between the information recording layers, wherein positions of the ends on the inner circumference side of the resin layers are different from each other in at least one combination of two neighboring resin layers, and the end on the inner circumference side of at least one of the resin layers is covered by another resin layer.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus is for recording user data and recording management data onto an information recording medium being provided with: a first recording layer; and a second recording layer, each of the first recording layer and the second recording layer having a user data area to record therein at least the user data and a recording management area to record therein at least the recording management data for managing recording of the user data, the information recording apparatus is provided with: a recording device for dividing the recording management area into a plurality of recording management segments and for recording the recording management data into at least one of the plurality of recording management segments; and a first controlling device for controlling the recording device to dispose each of the plurality of recording management segments in a single recording layer.

Abstract: A write-once optical disk comprises a substrate, a recording layer which is stacked on the substrate and comprised of a first reaction layer comprised of a material containing hydrogen and a second reaction layer comprised of a material having an extinction coefficient greater than that in the first reaction layer, and a protective layer which is stacked on the recording layer.

Abstract: An optical disc having a transition linear velocity of 8-11 m/s when irradiating continuous light with 11±1 mW and a wavelength of 660±10 nm using a pickup head with a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.65, and satisfying the following condition: ?R=|Rb?Ra|?3% where Rb is a reflectance of an unrecorded area, and Ra is a reflectance of the top of an eye pattern after ten cycles of recording. In one recording mode therefor, the disc is rotated at a constant angular velocity so as to have a linear velocity of 3-4 m/s on an innermost track and a linear velocity of 8-9 m/s on an outermost track. In another mode, the disc is rotated at a constant angular velocity so as to have a linear velocity of 5-6 m/s on an innermost track and a linear velocity of 13-14 m/s on an outermost track.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to write-once record and reproduce, or only reproduce, a mark smaller than the resolution limit; obtain a high level of reproduction performance (CNR and the like); and realize a high level of reproduction durability. In the invention, between a signal reproducing functional layer composed of Sb or Te and a protecting layer there is introduced a thermally stable diffusion preventing layer, and thereby reactions between the signal reproducing functional layer and the protecting layer due to increased temperature can be prevented or suppressed while increasing reproduction durability.