Optical recording medium

Abstract

An optical recording medium is provided which includes a plurality of information layers having recording sensitivities close to each other and reflectivities close to each other, and a sufficient difference in reflectivity between a space portion and a recording mark, and provides a reduction in production costs. The optical recording medium includes a first and a second information layer. Recording marks thicker than a space portion are formed in the information layers. The recording layer of the first information layer which is placed far from an incident surface is thicker than the recording layer of the second information layer which is placed close to the incident surface. The total thickness of dielectric layers of the first information layer is smaller than the total thickness of dielectric layers of the second information layer. The first information layer is thinner than the second information layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a graph showing a relationship between the thickness and the reflectivity of a recording layer of an optical recording medium according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross sectional view in a lengthwise direction of grooves showing a structure of information layers and therearound of the optical recording medium;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross sectional view in a widthwise direction of grooves showing the entire structure of the optical recording medium;

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross sectional view showing a structure of information layers and therearound of an optical recording medium according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross sectional view showing the entire structure of the optical recording medium according to the second exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a graph showing a relationship between the thickness and the reflectivity of a recording layer of a conventional optical recording medium.

Claims

1. An optical recording medium comprising a plurality of information layers and no reflective layer on at least one side, the information layers in which a recording mark, having an increased thickness larger than that of a space portion therearound, is formed by an irradiation with a laser beam, at least two of the information layers each having a recording layer and a dielectric layer formed on at least one side of the recording layer, one of these information layers, which is placed relatively far from an incident surface of a laser beam, having a recording layer that is thicker than that of the other of the information layers, which is placed relatively closer to the incident surface than the one information layer, the one information layer having a dielectric layer that is thinner than that of the other information layer, wherein a total thickness of the recording layer and the dielectric layer of the one information layer is smaller than that of the other information layer.

2. The optical recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the recording layers of the plurality of information layers each contain a constituent element other than carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and sulfur, and constituent elements of the recording layers, at least other than carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and sulfur, are common.

3. An optical recording medium comprising a plurality of information layers on at least one side, information layers in which a recording mark, having an increased thickness larger than that of a space portion therearound, is formed by an irradiation with a laser beam, at least two of the information layers each having a recording layer and a dielectric layer formed on at least one side of the recording layer, the recording layers each containing a constituent element other than carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and sulfur, and constituent elements of the recording layers, at least other than carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and sulfur, are common, one of the information layers, which is placed relatively far from an incident surface of a laser beam, has a recording layer that is thicker than that of the other of the information layers, which is placed relatively closer to the incident surface than the one information layer, the one information layer having a dielectric layer that is thinner than that of the is other information layer, wherein a total thickness of the recording layer and the dielectric layer of the one information layer is smaller than that of the other information layer.

4. The optical recording medium according to claim 3, wherein one of the information layers that is placed farthest from the incident surface comprises only the recording layer and the dielectric layer, and is formed in contact with a substrate.

5. The optical recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the recording layers each contain bismuth and oxygen, a ratio of a total number of bismuth and oxygen atoms to a number of constituent atoms in the recording layer is 80% or more, and a ratio of a number of oxygen atoms to the number of constituent atoms in the recording layer is 63% or more.

6. The optical recording medium according to claim 2, wherein the recording layers each contain bismuth and oxygen, a ratio of a total number of bismuth and oxygen atoms to a number of constituent atoms in the recording layer is 80% or more, and a ratio of a number of oxygen atoms to the number of constituent atoms in the recording layer is 63% or more.

7. The optical recording medium according to claim 3, wherein the recording layers each contain bismuth and oxygen, a ratio of a total number of bismuth and oxygen atoms to a number of constituent atoms in the recording layer is 80% or more, and a ratio of a number of oxygen atoms to the number of constituent atoms in the recording layer is 63% or more.

8. The optical recording medium according to claim 4, wherein the recording layers each contain bismuth and oxygen, a ratio of a total number of bismuth and oxygen atoms to a number of constituent atoms in the recording layer is 80% or more, and a ratio of a number of oxygen atoms to the number of constituent atoms in the recording layer is 63% or more.