U.S. patent application number 10/310538 was filed with the patent office on 2003-07-17 for multi-layered optical disc.
Invention is credited to Kurokawa, Kotaro, Yasuda, Koichi.
Application Number | 20030134229 10/310538 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27288644 |
Filed Date | 2003-07-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030134229 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yasuda, Koichi ; et
al. |
July 17, 2003 |
Multi-layered optical disc
Abstract
A multi-layered optical disc having its recording unit comprised
of plural information recording layers, in which two or more
information recording layers are layered on a substrate 0.3 to 1.2
mm in thickness, with the interposition of a transparent layer, to
form a recording unit, a light transmitting protective layer is
formed on the recording unit to a thickness of 10 to 177 .mu.m and
in which the light is illuminated from the side of the light
transmitting protective layer to effect recording and/or
reproduction of information signals. At least one of the
information recording layers except the information recording layer
formed at a remotest position from the light transmitting
protective layer has a phase change material as a recording
material. A refractive index nc.sub.1 and an extinction coefficient
kc.sub.1 in the crystallized state and a refractive index na1 and
an extinction coefficient ka.sub.1 in the amorphous state of the
phase change material constituting the first information recording
layer as counted from the light transmitting protective layer
satisfy the relationship of (nc.sub.1/na.sub.1).ltoreq.1- 2,
(kc.sub.1/ka.sub.1).ltoreq.12 and (kc.sub.1/ka.sub.1).ltoreq.5 ,
(nc.sub.1/na.sub.1) where the cases of kc.sub.1/ka.sub.1.ltoreq.1
and nc.sub.1/na.sub.1.ltoreq.1 are excluded.
Inventors: |
Yasuda, Koichi; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Kurokawa, Kotaro; (Kanagawa, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Jeffrey F. Craft
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
Wacker Drive Station, Sears Tower
P.O. Box 061080
Chicago
IL
60606-1080
US
|
Family ID: |
27288644 |
Appl. No.: |
10/310538 |
Filed: |
December 4, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10310538 |
Dec 4, 2002 |
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09497707 |
Feb 4, 2000 |
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6511788 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
430/270.13 ;
369/275.2; 369/275.5; 369/283; 428/64.5; 430/945; G9B/7.142;
G9B/7.186 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 2007/24314
20130101; G11B 7/24038 20130101; G11B 2007/2431 20130101; G11B
2007/24316 20130101; G11B 2007/25708 20130101; G11B 7/2533
20130101; G11B 7/259 20130101; Y10S 430/146 20130101; G11B 7/243
20130101; G11B 7/2585 20130101; G11B 7/257 20130101; G11B
2007/25713 20130101; G11B 7/2595 20130101; G11B 7/2531 20130101;
G11B 2007/24308 20130101; G11B 7/2532 20130101; G11B 2007/24312
20130101; G11B 2007/25711 20130101; G11B 2007/2571 20130101; G11B
7/258 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
430/270.13 ;
430/945; 428/64.5; 369/283; 369/275.5; 369/275.2 |
International
Class: |
G11B 007/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 12, 1999 |
JP |
P11-035086 |
Feb 12, 1999 |
JP |
P11-035087 |
Mar 9, 1999 |
JP |
P11-060986 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A multi-layered optical disc in which two or more information
recording layers are layered on a substrate 0.3 to 1.2 mm in
thickness, with the interposition of a transparent layer, to form a
recording unit, a light transmitting protective layer is formed on
said recording unit to a thickness of 10 to 177 .mu.m, and in which
the light is illuminated from the side of the light transmitting
protective layer to effect recording and/or reproduction of
information signals, wherein at least one of said information
recording layers except the information recording layer formed at a
remotest position from the light transmitting protective layer has
a phase change material as a recording material; and wherein a
refractive index nc.sub.1 and an extinction coefficient kc.sub.1 in
the crystallized state and refractive index na.sub.1and an
extinction coefficient ka.sub.1 in the amorphous state of the phase
change material constituting the first information recording layer
as counted from the light transmitting protective layer satisfy the
relationship of (nc.sub.1/na.sub.1).ltoreq.12,
(kc.sub.1/ka.sub.1).ltoreq.12 and (kc.sub.1/ka.sub.1).ltoreq.5
(nc.sub.1/na.sub.1), where the cases of kc.sub.1/ka.sub.1<1 and
nc.sub.1/na.sub.1<1 are excluded.
2. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 1 wherein the
phase change material contains at least one of Au, Al, Ag, Bi, Cu,
Cr, Co, Cd, Ce, Cs, Dy, Fe, Ge, Gd, Ga, Hf, In, K, La, Li, Mn, Mo,
Ni, Nb, Nd, Na, Os, Pd, Pr, Pb, Ru, Rh, Rb, Sn, Sb, Si, Sm, Sc, Se,
The, Ti, Tb, Ta, V, W, Y, Zn and Zr.
3. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 2 wherein the
phase change material is at least one selected from the group
consisting of InSe based chalcogenides, SbSE based chalcogenides,
InSbSe based chalcogenides, GeSbTe based chalcogenides, GeSbTeSe
based chalcogenides, AgInSbTe based chalcogenides, AgInSbSeTe based
chalcogenides, GeSbTeN based chalcogenides and AgInSbTeN based
chalcogenides.
4. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 3 wherein the
phase change material is at least one selected from the group
consisting of InSeN, InSeNO, InSeO, SbSeN, SbSeNO, SbSeO, InSbSeN,
InSbSeNO, InSbSeO, GeSbTeSeN, GeSbTeSeNO, GeSbTeSeO, AgInSbSeTeN,
AgInSbSeTeNO, AgInSbSeTeO, GeSbTeNO, GeSbTeO, AgInSbTeNO and
AgInSbTeO.
5. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 1 wherein the
reflectance in the crystallized state of the phase change material
constituting the first information recording layer as counted from
the side of the light transmitting protective layer is not less
than 5% and wherein the light transmittance in the crystallized and
amorphous state is not less than 40%.
6. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 1 wherein the
reflectance in the amorphous state of the phase change material
constituting the first information recording layer as counted from
the side of the light transmitting protective layer is not less
than 5% and wherein the light transmittance in the crystallized and
amorphous state is not less than 40%.
7. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 1 wherein the
recording material constituting the second information recording
layer as counted from the light transmitting protective layer is a
phase change material and wherein the reflectance in the
crystallized state of the phase change material is not less than
10%.
8. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 7 wherein the
reflectance ratio between the crystallized state and the amorphous
state of the phase change material constituting the first
information recording layer as counted from the light transmitting
protective layer is not less than 1.5 and wherein the reflectance
ratio between the crystallized state and the amorphous state of the
phase change material constituting the second information recording
layer is not less than 1.5
9. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 1 wherein the
wavelength of the light illuminated from said light transmitting
protective layer is 380 to 450 nm.
10. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 1 wherein the
wavelength of the light illuminated from said light transmitting
protective layer is 630 to 700 nm.
11. A multi-layered optical disc in which two or more information
recording layers are layered on a substrate 0.3 to 1.2 mm in
thickness, with the interposition of a transparent layer, to form a
recording unit, a light transmitting protective layer is formed on
said recording unit to a thickness of 10 to 177 .mu.mm, and in
which the light is illuminated from the side of the light
transmitting protective layer to effect recording and/or
reproduction of information signals, wherein each information
recording layer has a phase change material as a recording
material; and wherein if, when the recording and/or reproducing
light is converged on the second recording layer remote from said
light transmitting protective layer, there co-exist an information
recorded track and a non-information recorded track in the
recording and/or reproducing light passage area in the first
recording layer on the side of the light transmitting protective
layer, the phase change recording material of the first recording
layer satisfies the following
relationship:0.8.ltoreq.T1c/T1a.ltoreq.1.270%.gtoreq.T1c.gtoreq.40%70%.gt-
oreq.T1a.gtoreq.40%Alc/Ala.gtoreq.1.0where T1c is the light
transmittance of the phase change recording material of the first
recording layer in the crystal state, Alc is the absorption rate of
light absorbed by the phase change recording material of the first
recording layer in the crystal state, T1a is the light
transmittance of the phase change recording material in the
amorphous state and Ala is the absorption rate of light absorbed by
the phase change recording material in the amorphous state.
12. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 11 wherein
the thickness dr of the phase change recording material of the
first recording layer satisfies the following
relationship:dr.gtoreq.5 nmexp
(-4.pi..multidot.k1c.multidot.dr/.lambda.).gtoreq.40%exp
(-4.pi..multidot.k1a.multidot.dr/.lambda.).gtoreq.40%where .lambda.
is the wavelength of the laser light used for recording and/or
reproduction.
13. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 11 wherein,
if the recording and/or reproducing wavelength is 385 to 450 nm,
the phase change recording material of the first recording layer
has a recording mode in which the reflectance of the first
recording layer is higher in the amorphous state than in the
crystal state of the phase change recording material of the first
recording layer.
14. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 13 wherein an
anti-reflection film is formed so that the reflectance to the
recording and/or reproducing light of the light transmitting layer
as the outermost disc surface will be not higher than 2%.
15. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 14 wherein
the anti-reflection film is formed of a thin dielectric film
transparent to the recording and/or reproducing wavelength and
having a different refractive index.
16. A multi-layered optical disc in which a plurality of
information recording layers are layered, with a transparent
intermediate layer in-between, on a supporting substrate, with a
thickness of 0.3 to 1.2 mm, carrying a guide groove by a pattern of
crests and recesses, and a light transmitting layer 10 to 177 .mu.m
is layered thereon, wherein said information recording layer has a
film of a phase change material formed of a phase change material
containing at least one of binary alloys, such as InSe, SbSe or
SbTe, ternary alloys, such as InSbSe, GeSbTe or InSbTe, quatanary
alloys, such as GeSbTeSe or AgInSbTe, quinary alloys, such as
AgInSbSeTe, nitrides and oxides of these alloys, wherein a
crystallization promoting film and an enhancement film are formed
at least on the side of said supporting substrate or on the
opposite side to the supporting substrate of said film of the phase
change material, wherein the information recording layer closest to
said supporting substrate has a reflecting film allocated to an
outermost side thereof towards the supporting substrate and also
has a semi-transparent enhancement film allocated to an outermost
side thereof opposite to said supporting substrate, and wherein
said crystallization promoting film is formed of a material
containing at least one of Si, SiC, Ge, GeC, Sn, SnC, Al, AIC, Ga,
GaC, In, InC, chlorides and oxides thereof.
17. A multi-layered optical disc in which a plurality of
information recording layers are layered, with a transparent
intermediate layer in-between, on a supporting substrate, with a
thickness of 0.3 to 1.2 mm, carrying a guide groove by a pattern of
crests and recesses, and a light transmitting layer 10 to 177 .mu.m
is layered thereon, wherein said information recording layer has a
film of a phase change material formed of a phase change material
containing at least one of binary alloys, such as InSe, SbSe or
SbTe, ternary alloys, such as InSbSe, GeSbTe or InSbTe, quatanary
alloys, such as GeSbTeSe or AgInSbTe, quinary alloys, such as
AgInSbSeTe, nitrides and oxides of these alloys, wherein a
crystallization promoting film and an enhancement film are formed
at least on the side of said supporting substrate or on the
opposite side to the supporting substrate of said film of the phase
change material, wherein the information recording layer closest to
said supporting substrate has a reflecting film allocated to an
outermost side thereof towards the supporting substrate and also
has a semi-transparent enhancement film allocated to an outermost
side thereof opposite to said supporting substrate, and wherein
said enhancement film is formed of a material containing at least
one of ZnS, ZnS--SiO.sub.2, SiO.sub.2 and MgF.sub.2.
18. A multi-layered optical disc in which a plurality of
information recording layers are layered, with a transparent
intermediate layer in-between, on a supporting substrate, with a
thickness of 0.3 to 1.2 mm, carrying a guide groove by a pattern of
crests and recesses, and a light transmitting layer 10 to 177 .mu.m
is layered thereon, wherein said information recording layer has a
film of a phase change material formed of a phase change material
containing at least one of binary alloys, such as InSe, SbSe or
SbTe, ternary alloys, such as InSbSe, GeSbTe or InSbTe, quatanary
alloys, such as GeSbTeSe or AgInSbTe, quinary alloys, such as
AgInSbSeTe, nitrides and oxides of these alloys, wherein a
crystallization promoting film and an enhancement film are formed
at least on the side of said supporting substrate or on the
opposite side to the supporting substrate of said film of the phase
change material, wherein the information recording layer closest to
said supporting substrate has a reflecting film allocated to an
outermost side thereof towards the supporting substrate and also
has a semi-transparent enhancement film allocated to an outermost
side thereof opposite to said supporting substrate, and wherein
said semi-transparent enhancement film is formed of a material
containing at least one of Au, an AuCo alloy, Si, an Ag alloy,
SiO.sub.x, ZnS--SiO.sub.x, an Au--SiO.sub.2 mixture and an
Au--ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixture, with x.ltoreq.2.
19. A multi-layered optical disc in which a plurality of
information recording layers are layered, with a transparent
intermediate layer in-between, on a supporting substrate, with a
thickness of 0.3 to 1.2 mm, carrying a guide groove by a pattern of
crests and recesses, and a light transmitting layer 10 to 177 .mu.m
is layered thereon, wherein said information recording layer has a
film of a phase change material formed of a phase change material
containing at least one of binary alloys, such as InSe, SbSe or
SbTe, ternary alloys, such as InSbSe, GeSbTe or InSbTe, quatanary
alloys, such as GeSbTeSe or AgInSbTe, quinary alloys, such as
AgInSbSeTe, nitrides and oxides of these alloys, wherein a
crystallization promoting film and an enhancement film are formed
at least on the side of said supporting substrate or on the
opposite side to the supporting substrate of said film of the phase
change material, wherein the information recording layer closest to
said supporting substrate has a reflecting film allocated to an
outermost side thereof towards the supporting substrate and also
has a semi-transparent enhancement film allocated to an outermost
side thereof opposite to said supporting substrate, and wherein
said reflective film is formed of a material containing one of an
Al alloy, a BiSb alloy, an Ag alloy, Au, an Au alloy.
20. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 16 wherein
said information recording layer closest to said supporting
substrate is comprised of said reflecting film, enhancement film,
film of the phase change material, crystallization promoting film,
enhancement film and said semi-transparent enhancement film,
layered sequentially looking from the supporting substrate
side.
21. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 17 wherein
said information recording layer closest to said supporting
substrate is comprised of said reflecting film, enhancement film,
film of the phase change material, crystallization promoting film,
enhancement film and said semi-transparent enhancement film,
layered sequentially looking from the supporting substrate
side.
22. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 18 wherein
said information recording layer closest to said supporting
substrate is comprised of said reflecting film, enhancement film,
film of the phase change material, crystallization promoting film,
enhancement film and said semi-transparent enhancement film,
layered sequentially looking from the supporting substrate
side.
23. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 19 wherein
said information recording layer closest to said supporting
substrate is comprised of said reflecting film, enhancement film,
film of the phase change material, crystallization promoting film,
enhancement film and said semi-transparent enhancement film,
layered sequentially looking from the supporting substrate
side.
24. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 16 wherein
said information recording layer closest to said supporting
substrate is comprised of said reflecting film, enhancement film,
crystallization promoting film, film of the phase change material,
enhancement film and said semi-transparent enhancement film,
layered sequentially looking from the supporting substrate
side.
25. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 17 wherein
said information recording layer closest to said supporting
substrate is comprised of said reflecting film, enhancement film,
crystallization promoting film, film of the phase change material,
enhancement film and said semi-transparent enhancement film,
layered sequentially looking from the supporting substrate
side.
26. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 18 wherein
said information recording layer closest to said supporting
substrate is comprised of said reflecting film, enhancement film,
crystallization promoting film, film of the phase change material,
enhancement film and said semi-transparent enhancement film,
layered sequentially looking from the supporting substrate
side.
27. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 19 wherein
said information recording layer closest to said supporting
substrate is comprised of said reflecting film, enhancement film,
crystallization promoting film, film of the phase change material,
enhancement film and said semi-transparent enhancement film,
layered sequentially looking from the supporting substrate
side.
28. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 16 wherein
said information recording layer closest to said supporting
substrate is comprised of said reflecting film, enhancement film,
crystallization promoting film, film of the phase change material,
crystallization promoting film, enhancement film and said
semi-transparent enhancement film, layered sequentially looking
from the supporting substrate side.
29. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 17 wherein
said information recording layer closest to said supporting
substrate is comprised of said reflecting film, enhancement film,
crystallization promoting film, film of the phase change material,
crystallization promoting film, enhancement film and said
semi-transparent enhancement film, layered sequentially looking
from the supporting substrate side.
30. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 18 wherein
said information recording layer closest to said supporting
substrate is comprised of said reflecting film, enhancement film,
crystallization promoting film, film of the phase change material,
crystallization promoting film, enhancement film and said
semi-transparent enhancement film, layered sequentially looking
from the supporting substrate side.
31. The multi-layered optical disc according to claim 19 wherein
said information recording layer closest to said supporting
substrate is comprised of said reflecting film, enhancement film,
crystallization promoting film, film of the phase change material,
crystallization promoting film, enhancement film and said
semi-transparent enhancement film, layered sequentially looking
from the supporting substrate side.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a multi-layered optical disc
having its recording unit comprised of plural information recording
layers. More particularly, it relates to a multi-layered optical
disc having its information recording layer formed of a phase
change material.
[0003] 2. Description of Prior Art
[0004] Recently, as so-called multi-media are becoming popular, a
demand is raised for an optical recording medium handling a large
volume of the information, such as a digital moving picture, such
that the necessity of storing the large volume of the information
and having a random access thereto as necessary for recording
and/or reproduction is increasing.
[0005] Among the random-accessible recording mediums, there is an
optical recording medium of a large storage capacity which is
removable, that is can be taken out from the recording and/or
reproducing apparatus. This optical recording medium is used in
large quantities in many fields.
[0006] Under these circumstances, an optical recording medium on
one surface of which recording and/or reproduction for four hours
is possible in accordance with the NTSC (National Television System
Committee) system.
[0007] In this optical recording medium, it is targeted to enable
recording and/or reproduction for four hours, as a video disc
player for home use, to provide a function as a new recording
medium which takes the place of the video tape recorder now in
prevalent use. Moreover, the optical recording medium may be of the
same shape and size as the digital audio disc, having the music
data recorded thereon, to prove a product more benign to a user
accustomed to a digital audio disc.
[0008] Meanwhile, a demand is raised for an optical recording
medium capable of handling a still larger information volume, such
that the optical recording medium is required to have a still
larger storage volume.
[0009] For example, the optical recording medium capable of
recording and/or reproduction in accordance with the NTSC system,
is required not only to be in a disc shape to exploit the high
accessing speed proper to the disc shape to provide a simple and
small-sized recording medium, but also to be of a large storage
capacity to have multiple functions such as instant reproduction of
a recorded picture, trick play or editing.
[0010] In order to have these variegated functions, the capacity
not less than 8 GB is required. However, there lacks up to now an
optical recording medium capable of realizing this large storage
capacity by the following reason:
[0011] In the already proposed replay-only DVD (digital versatile
disc), the wavelength .lambda. is 0.65 .mu.m, with the numerical
aperture NA of the optical system being 0.6, such that the
recording capacity possible with the current DVD is not above 4.7
GB.
[0012] Thus, in order to provide a recording capacity not less than
8 GB, with the signal format of the DVD system, such as ECC (error
correction code) or the modulation system, remaining unchanged, the
following relation:
4.7.times.(0.65/0.60.times.NA/.lambda.)2.gtoreq.8 (1)
[0013] needs to be met.
[0014] From the equation (1), it is necessary that
NA/.lambda..gtoreq.1.20- , such that a shorter wavelength or a
larger magnitude of NA is required.
[0015] If the NA is of a larger magnitude, a transparent substrate
of the optical disc, through which the illuminated reproducing
light is transmitted, needs to be reduced in thickness. The reason
is that, as NA is increased, the allowance for the aberration
ascribable to an angle by which the disc surface deviates from the
vertical with respect to an optical axis of the optical pickup, or
the so-called tilt angle, becomes smaller, with the aberration
ascribable to this tilt angle increasing with the increased
thickness of the transparent substrate through which is transmitted
the reproducing light.
[0016] By the same reason, variations in the thickness of the
transparent substrate, through which is transmitted the reproducing
light, need to be comprised within a pre-set range.
[0017] Meanwhile, an injection molded substrate, formed of
plastics, is prevalently used as the transparent substrate for the
optical recording medium. This injection molded substrate is
difficult to manufacture with an extremely thin thickness and to a
high accuracy.
[0018] On the other hand, the recording density of the information
recording layer of an optical recording medium in an in-plane
direction, that is in a two-dimensional direction, is determined by
the minimum spot diameter of the laser light in use. Thus, the
smaller the minimum spot diameter, the higher may be the density
with which the signals are recorded. Therefore, in order to enable
high density recording on an optical recording medium, it is
attempted to reduce the wavelength of the light source and to
increase the numerical aperture NA of the objective lens to reduce
the minimum spot diameter. However, there is imposed a technical
limitation in shortening the wavelength of the laser light or in
increasing the numerical aperture NA of an objective lens, such
that increasing the recording density in the two-dimensional
direction is approaching its limit.
[0019] As means for increasing the recording capacity in an optical
disc, there are such method as increasing the number of the
recording layers, in addition to the methods of further reducing
the recording and/or reproducing wavelength or improving the light
converging power (NA) of the light used for recording and/or
reproduction. In the write-once or overwrite optical disc, the
preference is towards reducing the recording and/or reproducing
wavelength and towards a higher NA of the objective lens, whilst
multi-layered optical disc was first introduced in Society
Publications only in October 1998.
[0020] The purport of this report was that recording and/or
reproduction is possible in both the two phase change recording
layers. It is however feared whether or not, if the information has
been recorded on the light incident side recording layer (first
recording layer), no information has been recorded on the first
recording layer or if a recorded region and a non-recorded region
co-exist in the first recording layer, recording can be made in
stability in the other recording layer (second recording layer). In
actuality, with the phase change recording material, it has been
demonstrated that light transmittance of the first recording layer
is higher in the recorded state, that is in the amorphous state,
than in the non-recorded state, that is in the crystalline state,
of the recording material. According to the reports, the light
transmittance of the first recording layer is 70% and 45% in the
crystalline state and in the amorphous state, respectively.
[0021] If the light transmittance of the first recording layer is
varied appreciably before and after recording on this layer, it is
necessary to record the information on the second recording layer
after recording the information on the entire surface of the first
recording layer. However, since signals cannot be recorded nor
reproduced freely on each of the first and second recording layers,
there are imposed severe limitations on the information exchange
with the media, with the result that the merit proper to the
multi-layered optical disc tends to be lost. Moreover, the transfer
rate of the information recorded or reproduced on or from an
optical disc recently is desired to be increased, so that an
increasing demand is raised for simultaneously recording and/or
reproducing plural recording layers of the multi-layered optical
disc to increase the transfer rate by a factor corresponding to the
number of the recording layers.
[0022] Moreover, if, in a recording and/or reproducing optical disc
having layered information recording layers, the linear speed in
raised by reducing the beam spot diameter, difficulties may be
encountered in correctly recording the data, so that, if two
information recording layers are layered, it has been difficult to
realize the recording capacity not lower than 10 GB.
[0023] As discussed above, in an optical recording medium, further
increase in the recording capacity represents one of incumbent
technical tasks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0024] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a multi-layered optical disc in which the recording density
can be increased in the three-dimensional direction and the
recording capacity can be increased further and which is superior
in recording and/or reproducing characteristics.
[0025] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
multi-layered optical disc in which recording and/or reproduction
can be performed simultaneously in stability in the respective
recording layers of the recordable multi-layered optical disc.
[0026] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
a multi-layered optical disc which allows for rewriting and high
density recording.
[0027] In one aspect, the present invention provides a
multi-layered optical disc in which two or more information
recording layers are layered on a substrate 0.3 to 1.2 mm in
thickness, with the interposition of a transparent layer, to form a
recording unit, a light transmitting protective layer is formed on
the recording unit to a thickness of 10 to 177 .mu.m, and in which
the light is illuminated from the side of the light transmitting
protective layer to effect recording and/or reproduction of
information signals, wherein at least one of the information
recording layers except the information recording layer formed at a
remotest position from the light transmitting protective layer has
a phase change material as a recording material, and wherein a
refractive index nc.sub.1 and an extinction coefficient kc.sub.1 in
the crystallized state and refractive index na, and an extinction
coefficient ka.sub.1 in the amorphous state of the phase change
material constituting the first information recording layer as
counted from the light transmitting protective layer satisfy the
relationship of (nc.sub.1/na.sub.1).ltoreq.12,
(kc.sub.1/ka.sub.1).ltoreq.12 and (kc.sub.1/ka.sub.1).ltoreq.5
(nc.sub.1/na.sub.1), where the cases of kc.sub.1/ka.sub.1<1 and
nc.sub.1/na.sub.1<1 are excluded.
[0028] In the above-described multi-layered optical disc, according
to the present invention, in which the information recording layer
is multi-layered, the recording density is increased even in the
three-dimensional direction corresponding to the direction of
thickness of the information recording layer, thus further
increasing the recording capacity.
[0029] Moreover, in the multi-layered optical disc according to the
present invention, at least one of the information recording layers
except the information recording layer formed at a remotest
position from the light transmitting protective layer has a phase
change material as a recording material. Thus, the multi-layered
optical disc of the present invention is able to record and/or
reproduce the information repeatedly, whilst it is able to have
plural layers capable of recoding and/or reproduction.
[0030] Also, since the multi-layered optical disc according to the
present invention is optically optimized with respect to the light
with the wavelength of 380 to 450 nm, it is possible to realize a
larger recording capacity.
[0031] In another aspect, the present invention provides a
multi-layered optical disc in which two or more information
recording layers are layered on a substrate 0.3 to 1.2 mm in
thickness, with the interposition of a transparent layer, to form a
recording unit, a light transmitting protective layer is formed on
the recording unit to a thickness of 10 to 177 .mu.m, and in which
the light is illuminated from the side of the light transmitting
protective layer to effect recording and/or reproduction of
information signals, wherein each information recording layer has a
phase change material as a recording material, and wherein, if,
when the recording and/or reproducing light is converged on the
second recording layer remote from the light transmitting
protective layer, there co-exist an information recorded track and
a non-information recorded track in the recording and/or
reproducing light passage area in the first recording layer on the
side of the light transmitting protective layer, the phase change
recording material of the first recording layer satisfies the
following relationship:
[0032] 0.8.ltoreq.T1c/T1a.ltoreq.1.2
[0033] 70%.gtoreq.T1c.gtoreq.40%
[0034] 70%.gtoreq.T1a.gtoreq.40%
[0035] A1c/A1c.gtoreq.1.0
[0036] where T1c is the light transmittance of the phase change
recording material of the first recording layer in the crystal
state, A1c is the absorption rate of light absorbed by the phase
change recording material of the first recording layer in the
crystal state, T1a is the light transmittance of the phase change
recording material in the amorphous state and A1a is the absorption
rate of light absorbed by the phase change recording material in
the amorphous state.
[0037] In the above-described multi-layered optical disc, according
to the present invention, in which the information recording layer
is multi-layered, the recording density is increased even in the
three-dimensional direction corresponding to the direction of
thickness of the information recording layer, thus further
increasing the recording capacity.
[0038] Moreover, since the multi-layered optical disc is optically
optimized, recording and/or reproduction can be made in stability
and simultaneously in respective recording layers.
[0039] In an information recording medium according to the present
invention, a crystallization promoting film and an enhancement film
are formed at least on the side of the supporting substrate or on
the opposite side to the supporting substrate of the film of the
phase change material, wherein the information recording layer
closest to the supporting substrate has a reflecting film allocated
to an outermost side thereof towards the supporting substrate and
also has a semi-transparent enhancement film allocated to an
outermost side thereof opposite to the supporting substrate, and
wherein the crystallization promoting film is formed of a material
containing at least one of Si, SiC, Ge, GeC, Sn, SnC, Al, AlC, Ga,
GaC, In, InC, chlorides and oxides thereof.
[0040] In the above information recording medium, the enhancement
film is formed of a material containing at least one of ZnS,
ZnS--SiO.sub.2, SiO.sub.2 and MgF.sub.2.
[0041] In the above information recording medium, the
semi-transparent enhancement film is formed of a material
containing at least one of Au, an AuCoy alloy, Si, an Ag alloy,
SiO.sub.x, ZnS--SiO.sub.x, an Au--SiO.sub.2 mixture and an
Au--ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixture.
[0042] In the configuration of the present invention, a
crystallization promoting film and an enhancement film are formed
at least on the side of the supporting substrate or on the opposite
side to the supporting substrate of the film of the phase change
material to constitute the information recording layers by the
phase change material. Thus, the crystallization promoting film
operates for crystallizing the amorphous portion, whilst the
enhancement film operates for securing the light volume difference
of the return light. It is noted that, since the information
recording layer closest to the supporting substrate has a
reflecting film allocated to an outermost side thereof towards the
supporting substrate and also has a semi-transparent enhancement
film allocated to an outermost side thereof opposite to the
supporting substrate, the transmitted light can be effectively
utilized by multi-path reflection on the information recording
layer towards the supporting substrate side, where the incident
light volume is minimum, thus correspondingly improving the
sensitivity. Thus, if the information recording layer is
multi-layered, it is possible to evade deterioration of the
information recorded on the information recording layer to enable
positive accessing to the lower layer side where the light volume
is decreased. By forming the crystallization promoting film of a
material containing at least one of Si, SiC, Ge, GeC, Sn, SnC, Al,
AlC, Ga, GaC, In, InC, chlorides and oxides thereof, the amorphized
phase change material can be easily melted and crystallized even if
the beam spot diameter is reduced to increase the linear speed.
[0043] If, in the similar film structure, the enhancement film is
formed of a material containing at least one of Au, an AuCo alloy,
a SiAg alloy, SiO.sub.x, ZnS--SiO.sub.x, an Au--SiO.sub.2 mixture
and an Au--ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixture, the light beam reflected by the
reflecting layer can be re-reflected to increase the energy
afforded to the crystallized portion which is in need of much
energy for melting. Thus, if the amorphous portion and the
crystallized portion co-exist, these portions can be melted evenly
to re-record the desired information.
[0044] Also, by a similar film structure, the reflecting film can
be fabricated from a material containing at least one of an Al
alloy, BiSb, an Ag alloy, Au, an Au alloy, whereby it is possible
to efficiently reflect and utilize the light beam transmitted
through the information recording layer.
[0045] According to the present invention, as summarized above, a
multi-layered optical disc can be furnished in which it is possible
to increase the recording density in the three-dimensional
direction and the recording capacity and which is superior in
recording and/or reproducing characteristics.
[0046] Also, according to the present invention, both the first and
second recording layers can be recorded and/or reproduced by
providing the transmittance of the first recording layer of not
less than 40% and by diminishing variations in the transmittance of
the first recording layer at the time of recording and/or
reproduction of the second recording layer.
[0047] If, when the first recording layer employs an overwritable
phase change recording material, signals are previously recorded by
the disc producer on the entire information recording area of the
first recording layer, the transmittance of the first recording
layer is rendered constant at the time of use of the disc by the
user to enable stable recording and/or reproduction.
[0048] If, before and after information recording on the first
recording layer, variations in the transmittance of the first
recording layer are suppressed to be within the power margin of the
second recording layer, information recording on the second
recording layer can be performed in stability irrespective of the
recording state on the first recording layer. In this case, it is
unnecessary for the disc producer to pre-record the information, so
that it becomes possible to suppress the production cost and the
cost involved in media to raise the price competitiveness of the
media.
[0049] Moreover, there is no necessity of imposing restrictions on
the recording sequence for the first and second recording layers
and hence the two recording layers can be recorded and/or
reproduced simultaneously with the result that the transfer rate of
the information for recording and/or reproduction can be twice that
of the optical disc having only a sole recording layer. This
enables real-time recording of the high-vision broadcast by the
high transfer rate phase change optical disc.
[0050] By forming an anti-reflection film on the surface of the
light transmitting layer, the recording and/or reproducing light
can be focussed on the recording layer in stability without adding
a mechanism of distinguishing the recording layer from the surface
of the light transmitting layer to the recording and/or reproducing
drive thus enabling the drive to be produced inexpensively.
[0051] Moreover, by layering the information recording layers of a
phase change material, comprised of an enhancement film and a
crystallization promoting film, forming the reflecting film on only
the information recording layer closest to the supporting substrate
and by suitably selecting the film materials of the respective
information recording layers, such an optical information recording
medium may be provided which is overwritable and on which recording
can be made to high density.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0052] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an
illustrative structure of a multi-layered optical disc.
[0053] FIG. 2 is a graph showing a region for realization of
pre-set optical characteristics.
[0054] FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a basic structure and the
manner of light incidence in a double-layer optical disc.
[0055] FIG. 4 is a schematic view for illustrating the definition
of reflectance and transmittance of first and recording layers of a
double-layer optical disc.
[0056] FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a layered structure of a
second recording layer.
[0057] FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a layered structure of a
first recording layer.
[0058] FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing another layered structure
of a first recording layer.
[0059] FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing still another layered
structure of a first recording layer.
[0060] FIG. 9 is a schematic view for illustrating light energy
distribution in the H-L type and in the L-H type.
[0061] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing how the light proceeds
in an absorptive medium.
[0062] FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a further layered
structure of a first recording layer.
[0063] FIG. 12 is a schematic view for illustrating the definition
of reflectance and transmittance of first and recording layers and
a light transmission protective layer of a double-layer optical
disc.
[0064] FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing focussing error signals
during focussing servo in the absence of a light interference film
on the surface of the light transmission protective layer.
[0065] FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing an example or a film
structure of a light interference film.
[0066] FIG. 15 is a schematic view showing focussing error signals
during focussing servo in the presence of a light interference film
on the surface of the light transmission protective layer.
[0067] FIG. 16 is a schematic view showing an example of a layered
structure having the capability as the first recording layer.
[0068] FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing another example of a
layered structure having the capability as the first recording
layer.
[0069] FIG. 18 is a schematic view showing still another example of
a layered structure having the capability as the first recording
layer.
[0070] FIG. 19 is a schematic view showing a further example of a
layered structure having the capability as the first recording
layer.
[0071] FIG. 20 is a schematic view showing yet another example of a
layered structure having the capability as the first recording
layer.
[0072] FIG. 21 is a schematic view showing an example of a layered
structure having the capability as the second recording layer.
[0073] FIG. 22 is a schematic view showing another example of a
layered structure having the capability as the second recording
layer.
[0074] FIG. 23 is a schematic view showing still another example of
a layered structure having the capability as the second recording
layer.
[0075] FIG. 24 is a schematic view showing yet another example of a
layered structure having the capability as the first recording
layer.
[0076] FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of
an optical disc embodying the present invention.
[0077] FIG. 26 is a schematic view showing an optical system of an
optical disc device for accessing an optical disc of FIG. 25.
[0078] FIG. 27 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an
example of a film structure of the first information recording
layer embodying the present invention.
[0079] FIG. 28 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an
example of a film structure of the second information recording
layer.
[0080] FIG. 29 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another
example of a film structure of the first information recording
layer embodying the present invention.
[0081] FIG. 30 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another
example of a film structure of the second information recording
layer.
[0082] FIG. 31 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing still
another example of a film structure of the second information
recording layer.
[0083] FIG. 32 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing yet
another example of a film structure of the second information
recording layer.
[0084] FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view showing an optical disc
used for comparison with the embodiments of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0085] Referring to the drawings, preferred embodiments of
according to the present invention will be explained in detail.
[0086] A multi-layered optical disc, embodying the present
invention, is comprised of a substrate, a recording section,
comprised of two or more information recording layers, deposited
thereon with interposition of a transparent layer(s), and a light
transmission protective portion formed on the recording section.
With the multi-layered optical disc, embodying the present
invention, the laser light falls on the light transmission
protective layer side to record and/or reproduce information
signals.
[0087] In particular, with the multi-layered optical disc embodying
the present invention, at least one of the two or more information
recording layers, other than the information recording layer lying
at the remotest position from the light transmission protective
layer, is formed of a phase change material as a recording layer.
That is, with the multi-layered optical disc according to the
present invention, at least one of the information recording layers
excepting the information recording layer formed at the closest
position to the substrate is a phase change recording layer having
the phase change material as the recording material. Of, course, in
the multi-layered optical disc according to the present invention,
the information recording layer, formed at the remotest position
from the light transmission protective layer, that is at a position
closest to the substrate side, may be a phase change recording
layer.
[0088] In the following description, an optical disc, a recording
section of which is formed by two information recording layers, is
taken as an example of an multi-layered optical disc embodying the
present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to
this configuration. FIG. 1 shows a cross-section showing a
multi-layered optical disc according to the present invention.
[0089] Referring to FIG. 1, the multi-layered optical disc 1
according to the present invention includes a light reflecting
layer 3, a second information recording layer 4, a transparent
layer 5, a first information recording layer 6 and a light
transmission protective layer 7, sequentially layered on a major
surface 2a of a substrate 2. In the present multi-layered optical
disc 1, the laser light is illuminated from the light transmission
protective layer 7 to record and/or reproduce information
signals.
[0090] In more detail, if, in recording and/or reproducing
information signals on or from the multi-layered optical disc 1
embodying the present invention, the laser light is focussed on the
first information recording layer 6 as counted from the side of the
light transmission protective layer 7, the laser light is not
focussed on the second information recording layer 4, so that the
information signals are recorded and/or reproduced only on or from
the first information recording layer 6, as the first layer, which
is in the laser light focussed state. On the other hand, if the
laser light is focussed on the second information recording layer
4, the laser light is not focussed on the first information
recording layer 6, so that the information signals are recorded
and/or reproduced only on or from the second information recording
layer 4, as the second layer, which is in the laser light focussed
state.
[0091] In the present multi-layered optical disc 1, since the
information recording layer is of a multi-layered structure,
comprised of the first information recording layer 6 and the second
information recording layer 4, and is in meeting with the following
standard, the recording density may be higher in the
three-dimensional direction, corresponding to the direction of
thickness of the information recording layer, than in the
conventional optical disc having a single recording layer, thus
effectively realizing a further increased recording capacity.
[0092] The structure of the multi-layered optical disc 1, embodying
the present invention, is explained in detail.
[0093] In general, the disc skew margin .crclbar., wavelength
.lambda. of the recording and/or reproducing system, numerical
aperture NA of the objective lens and the thickness t of the light
transmission protective layer, are correlated with one another. In
particular, the relation between these parameters and the disc skew
margin .crclbar., referred to below simply as skew margin, is shown
in Japanese Laying-Open Patent H-3-225650, taking, as a reference,
a compact disc CD, the practical validity or so-called playability
of which has been proven sufficiently.
[0094] Specifically, the above publication indicates that it is
sufficient if .crclbar..ltoreq..+-.84.115.degree.. This may apply
to the multi-layered optical disc 1 according to the present
invention.
[0095] If a specified limit value of the skew margin .crclbar. in
case of actual mass production of optical discs is taken into
account, it is reasonably set to 0.4.degree.. The reason is that,
if the skew margin .crclbar. is smaller than this value, the
production yield is lowered in mass production to raise the cost.
Meanwhile, in the pre-existing optical disc, this limit value is
0.6.degree. and 0.4.degree. for a CD and for a DVD,
respectively.
[0096] Thus, with .crclbar.=0.4.degree., how the thickness t of the
light transmission protective layer 7 is to be set is calculated,
taking into account the tendency towards the shorter wavelength of
the laser light and the larger numerical aperture NA of the
objective lens. First, with .lambda.=0.65 .mu.m, the NA value needs
to be set to not less than 0.78 from the relation:
NA/.lambda..gtoreq.1.20.
[0097] If the wavelength of the laser light is shorter in future,
such that .lambda.=0.4 .mu.m, and the condition of
NA/.lambda..gtoreq.1.20 is to be kept unchanged, the thickness t of
the light transmission protective layer is t=1.77 .mu.m. Therefore,
the maximum thickness of the light transmission protective layer 7
of approximately 177 .mu.m may be said to be preferred. If the
possibility of utilizing a production equipment for a conventional
CD, having the thickness of the substrate of 1.2 mm, for the
production of the multi-layered optical disc 1, is taken into
consideration, the thickness of the multi-layered optical disc 1 in
its entirety is 1.38 mm at the maximum.
[0098] On the other hand, the lower limit of the thickness of the
light transmission protective layer 7 is determined by whether or
not the function of protecting the information recording layers 4,
6, reflecting layer 3 or the transparent layer 5 is assured.
Specifically, the lower limit value is preferably not less than 10
.mu.m if reliability of the optical disc 1 or the effect of
collision of a two-set lens against the surface of the light
transmission protective layer 7 is taken into consideration.
[0099] Whilst there is the aforementioned relation between the
light transmission protective layer 7 and the skew margin
.crclbar., if the possibility of accommodating up to the blue
laser, estimated to be in wide use in future, from the current red
laser, is taken into account, the thickness t of the light
transmission protective layer 7 is desirably 10 to 177 .mu.m.
[0100] Therefore, the thickness t of the light transmission
protective layer 7 of 10 to 177 .mu.m may be said to be
preferred.
[0101] Also, for raising the recording density, as described above,
it is mandatory to raise the ratio NA/.lambda..
[0102] The structure of the respective layers of the
above-described multi-layered optical disc 1 is now explained in
detail.
[0103] In a surface 2a of the substrate 2, there are formed
micro-irregularities, such as guide grooves or pre-pits, in which
to record signals, such as information signals. The thickness of
the substrate 2 is preferably 0.3 to 1.2 mm. The material of the
substrate 2 may be enumerated by, for example, plastics, such as
polycarbonate, or acrylic resins, such as polymethacrylate (PMMA),
or glass. In the former case, the substrate 2 is formed by
injection molding and, in the latter case, the substrate 2 is
molded by a photopolymer (2P) method.
[0104] The light reflecting layer 3, formed on the major surface 2a
of the substrate 2, operates as a reflecting layer for reflecting
the light transmitted through the first nd second information
recording layers 4, 6, while operating as a heat sink layer for
prohibiting the heat from being stored excessively in the first nd
second information recording layers 4, 6.
[0105] The material of the light reflecting layer 3 is preferably a
metal element, metalloid, a semiconductor element and a compound
thereof, singly or in combination.
[0106] Of these, such a material is most preferred which is mainly
composed of Al and which also contains 0.4 to 0.8 wt % of Si, not
more than 0.7 wt % of Fe, 0.15 to 0.40 wt % of Cu, not more than
0.15 wt % of Mn, 0.8 to 1.2 wt % of Mg, 0.04 to 0.35 wt % of Cr,
not more than 0.25 wt % of Zn and not more than 10.0 wt % of Ti.
The light reflecting layer 3 in this case is formed as a thin film
50 to 200 nm in thickness.
[0107] The reason is that, if a phase change recording layer,
formed of a phase change material, is layered on the light
reflecting layer 3 as an information recording layer 4, this phase
change recording layer is less susceptible to the crystalline
properties of the light reflecting layer 3 or the shape of the
interface formed by the particle size of the material of the light
reflecting layer 3, as a result of which the phase change recording
layer correctly reflects the surface shape of the substrate 2.
[0108] Among the methods for forming a light reflecting layer 3 on
the substrate 2 by the above-mentioned materials, there is such
method as ion beam sputtering method, dc sputtering method and RF
sputtering method.
[0109] With the multi-layered optical disc embodying the present
invention, a recording section, made up of two or more information
recording layers, is formed on the light reflecting layer 3 formed
on the substrate 2.
[0110] In particular, with the present multi-layered optical disc,
the first information recording layer 6, as the first layer as
counted from the side of the light transmission protective layer,
is preferably the phase change recording layer. The reason is that
the phase change material generally is high in light transmittance,
so that, if this phase change material is used as the first
information recording layer 6 which is the first layer as counted
from the light transmission protective layer 7 illuminated by the
light, light attenuation caused by transmission through the first
information recording layer 6 can be suppressed only to a smaller
value. The result is that the light of sufficient intensity is
incident even on the second and following information recording
layers as counted from the light transmission protective layer 7,
whilst the reflected light of sufficient light intensity is also
received from the second and following information recording
layers.
[0111] In the multi-layered optical disc 1, embodying the present
invention, the second information recording layer 4 and the first
information recording layer 6 are layered via the transparent layer
5 on the light reflecting layer 3 formed on the substrate 2.
[0112] As discussed above, the multi-layered optical disc according
to the present invention may be of three or more layers, instead of
being of two layers.
[0113] Also, it is not mandatory that the totality of the
information recording layers be phase change recording layers, it
being only necessary if at least one information; recording layer
other than the information recording layer remotest from the light
transmission protective layer be a phase change recording layer.
The information recording layer may also be a magneto-optical
recording layer which loses its coercivity on temperature rise
beyond the Curie temperature so as to be reversed in magnetization
in the direction of an external magnetic field, or a replay-only
recording section having pits on a substrate to present crevices
and recesses and a metal reflecting film formed thereon. In this
case, the magneto-optical recording layer is a film for
perpendicular magnetic recording, exemplified by an amorphous alloy
thin film, such as a Tb--Fe--Co film, exhibiting a Kerr effect or
the Faraday effect.
[0114] It is noted that the first information recording layer 6 and
the second information recording layer 4 are phase change recording
layers formed of a phase change material as a recording material.
In the case of the two-layered disc 1, it suffices if the first
information recording layer 6 is a phase change recording layer,
while it is not mandatory for the second information recording
layer 4 to be a phase change recording layer.
[0115] As the phase change material, used for this recording
material, such a material as undergoes phase change between the
crystalline state and the amorphous state is used. In this type of
the phase change recording layer, a recording pit is formed, as an
example, as follows:
[0116] That is, if the phase change recording layer is formed by a
sputtering method, the film as formed presents an amorphous state.
This phase change recording layer in the amorphous state is first
heated to a temperature not lower than the crystallization
temperature for phase transition to a crystalline state
(initialization).
[0117] If, in this state, the laser light is illuminated from, for
example, the light transmission protective layer 7, phase change
occurs from the crystalline state to an amorphous state, in the
area on which has been converged the laser light, so that
reflectance is changed in this area. The portion where the
reflectance has changed proves a recording pit. This recording pit
is detected by exploiting the differential in reflectance between
an area where the pit has been formed and an area where the pit has
not been formed.
[0118] In selecting this type of the phase change material,
attention should be directed to the following points.
[0119] First, the material needs to be such material which is less
susceptible to changes in the composition or segregation such as
phase separation and which is crystallized to form crystals of a
smaller number of crystal types. Also, such a material is to be
used which is in an optimum range of the melting point,
crystallization temperature or the crystallization speed.
[0120] That is, the melting point of the phase change material is
desirably not higher than 700.degree. C. In order for the film of
the phase change material to be changed in phase to an amorphous
state, this film of the phase change material needs to be heated to
not less than its melting point. Therefore if the melting point of
the phase change material is too high, thermal loads are imposed on
the light transmission protective layer 7, transparent layer 5 or
on the substrate provided in adjacency or in proximity to the phase
change recording layer.
[0121] The crystallization temperature of the phase change material
is preferably not less than 150.degree. C. If the crystallization
temperature of the phase change material is too low, the recording
pit is inferior in thermal stability, thus lowering the information
storage reliability.
[0122] The crystallization speed of the phase change material is
desirably not higher than 500 nsec. The linear speed of the optical
disc is 2 to 20 m/sec, whereas the spot diameter of a laser light
spot on the disc surface is on the order of 1 .mu.m. Therefore, the
time length the laser light is illuminated on a given spot on a
phase change recording layer is 50 to 500 nsec. In order for phase
change to occur during this short illuminating time, the
crystallization speed of the phase change material needs to be not
higher than 500 nsec.
[0123] The phase change material preferably contains at least one
of Au, Al, Ag, Bi, Cu. Cr, Co, Cd, Ce, Cs, Dy, Fe, Ge, Gd, Ga, Hf,
In, K, La, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Nb, Nd, Na, Os, Pd, Pr, Pb, Ru, Rh, Rb,
Sn, Si, Sm, Sc, Se, Te, Ti, Tb, Ta, Ti, V, W, Y, Zn and Zr. Such
material may be enumerated by InSe based chalcogenides, SbSe based
chalcogenides, InSbSe chalcogenides, GeSbTe based chalcogenides,
GeSbTeSe based chalcogenides, GeSbTe based chalcogenides, AgInSbTe
based chalcogenides and AgInSbSeTe based chalcogenides and
AgInSbTeN based chalcogenides. In particular, in the first
information recording layer 6, as the first layer as counted from
the light transmission protective layer 7, the above-mentioned
chalcogenide is preferably used as the phase change material in
view of optical conditions, such as light transmittance or
reflectance.
[0124] Specific examples of the phase change material include
Sb.sub.2Se.sub.3, Ge.sub.2Sb.sub.2Te.sub.5, having a melting point
of 600.degree. C., crystallization temperature of 172.degree. C.
and the crystallization speed of 50 nsec, and TeO.sub.x
(0<x<2).
[0125] The phase change material may also be one of InSeN, InSeNO,
InSeO, SbSeN, SbSeNO, SbSeO, InSbSeN, InSbSeNO, InSbSeO, GeSbTeSeN,
GeSbTeSeNO, GeSbTeSeO, AgInSbSeTeN, AgInSbSeTeNO, AgInSbSeTeO,
GeSbTeNO, GeSbTeO, AgInSbTeNO and AgInSbTeO.
[0126] Of these, TeO.sub.x is relatively stable in its crystalline
state such that it is meritorious in assuring thermal stability of
a recording pit. The aforementioned Se based chalcogenide added to
with Si is also desirable in view of its relatively fast
crystallization speed.
[0127] If, in a multi-layered optical disc, the above-mentioned
phase change materials are used as the recording material for the
information recording layer, it is crucial to take into account the
relation between the optical performance of the information
recording layer and the position of the information recording layer
in the recording section.
[0128] That is, the multi-layered optical disc, the second
information recording layer, as counted from the light transmission
protective layer on which falls the laser light, or the nth
information recording layer, spaced from the light transmission
protective layer by two or more layers, is illuminated by the laser
light transmitted through (n-1) information recording layers closer
than the nth information recording layer to the light transmission
protective layer. Also, the light reflected by the nth information
recording layer is transmitted through the (n-1) information
recording layers so as to be received by a light receiving
section.
[0129] Thus, the intensity of the laser light illuminated on an
information recording layer or the intensity of the light reflected
from this information recording layer is affected by optical
characteristics of the information recording layers lying closer
than the information recording layer to the light transmission
protective layer. Thus, it is necessary for the information
recording layers lying towards the light transmission protective
layer to have reflectance sufficient to provide a sufficient
amplitude of the playback signal and light transmittance.
[0130] In particular, the first information recording layer as
counted from the light transmission protective layer is required to
meet stringent requirements since it needs to exhibit reflectance
sufficient to assure reproduction and high light transmittance.
[0131] On the other hand, with the information recording layer
remoter from the light transmission protective layer, it is crucial
that the reflectance and light absorption rate be high to assure
formation of a recording pit even with the light of relatively low
intensity, and that the reflectance and the light absorption rate
be high to assure a sufficient amplitude of the playback signals
from the recording pit. It is necessary to take these into
consideration in designing the configuration of the recording
section.
[0132] Thus, in the multi-layered optical disc, the first
information recording layer 6, as the first layer as counted from
the light transmitting layer 7, needs to be of sufficient
reflectance to permit reproduction and of sufficient light
transmittance.
[0133] On the other hand, the second information recording layer 4
remoter from the light transmission protective layer 7 in the
multi-layered optical disc 1 needs to be high in reflectance and
light absorption rate, in order to assure recording and/or
reproduction even with the light of lower intensity.
[0134] Specifically, if a multi-layered optical disc 1, the
recording section of which is constituted by two phase change
recording layers, formed of a phase change material as a recording
material, is taken as an example, the reflectance Rc.sub.1 and
light transmittance Tc.sub.1 in the crystalline state, and the
reflectance Ra.sub.1 and the light transmittance Ta.sub.1 in the
amorphous state, of the first information recording layer 6, as
counted from the light transmission protective layer 7, with
respect to the recording and/or reproducing light, desirably meet
the following conditions:
[0135] Rc.sub.1.gtoreq.5%
[0136] Rc.sub.1/Ra.sub.1.gtoreq.1.5
[0137] Tc.sub.1, Ta.sub.1.gtoreq.20%
[0138] or
[0139] Ra.sub.1.gtoreq.5%
[0140] Ra.sub.1/Rc.sub.1.gtoreq.1.5
[0141] Tc.sub.1, Ta.sub.1.gtoreq.20%.
[0142] On the other hand, in the second information recording layer
4, as the second recording layer as counted from the light
transmission protective layer 7, the reflectance Rc.sub.2 and light
transmittance Tc.sub.2 in the crystalline state, and the
reflectance Ra.sub.2 and the light transmittance Ta.sub.2 in the
amorphous state, of the first information recording layer 6, as
counted from the light transmission protective layer 7, with
respect to the recording and/or reproducing light, desirably meet
the following conditions:
[0143] RC.sub.2.gtoreq.5%
[0144] Rc.sub.2/Ra.sub.2.gtoreq.1.5
[0145] Tc.sub.2, Ta.sub.2.gtoreq.60%
[0146] or
[0147] Ra.sub.2.gtoreq.10%
[0148] Ra.sub.2/Rc.sub.2.gtoreq.1.5
[0149] TC.sub.2, Ta.sub.2.gtoreq.60%.
[0150] With the first information recording layer 6, as the first
recording layer as counted from the light transmission protective
layer 7, the reflectance Rc.sub.1 in the crystalline state and the
reflectance Ra.sub.1 in the amorphous state are set in light of the
amplitude of the playback signal, such that, if Rc.sub.1 and
Ra.sub.1 are outside the above range, the amplitude of the playback
signal obtained from the first information recording layer 6 falls
short.
[0151] In this first information recording layer 6, the light
transmittance Tc.sub.1 in the crystalline state and the light
transmittance Ta, in the amorphous state are determined in
association with suppression of the laser light caused by the
transmission of the laser light through the first information
recording layer 6. If Tc.sub.1 and Ta.sub.1 are outside the above
range, the laser light is attenuated in intensity as a result of
transmission of the laser light from the light transmission
protective layer 7 through the first information recording layer 6,
such that the laser light cannot be illuminated with sufficient
intensity from the light transmission protective layer 7 to the
second information recording layer 4 as the second layer as counted
from the light transmission protective layer 7, as a result of
which the light reflected from the second information recording
layer 4 cannot be received with sufficient intensity. This renders
formation and detection of the recording pit difficult in the
second information recording layer 4 corresponding to the second
layer.
[0152] On the other hand, in the second information recording,layer
4, as the second recording layer as counted from the light
transmission protective layer 7, the light absorption rate Ac.sub.2
in the crystalline state and the light absorption rate Aa.sub.2 in
the amorphous state are set so as to cause phase changes even with
a lower laser light intensity.
[0153] Also, in the second information recording layer 4, as the
second recording layer, the reflectance Rc.sub.2 in the crystalline
state, and the reflectance Ra.sub.2 in the amorphous state are
determined in light of the amplitude of the playback signal, such
that, if Rc.sub.2 and Ra.sub.2 are outside the above range, the
amplitude of the playback signal obtained from the second
information recording layer 4 as the second recording layer falls
short.
[0154] The optical characteristics of these recording layers depend
on the layered structure of the recording layers, that is on the
conjoint use of dielectric and reflecting layers, refractive index
n of the phase change material used as the recording material, and
on the extinction coefficient k.
[0155] FIG. 2 shows a graph in which nc.sub.1, na.sub.1, kc.sub.1
and ka.sub.1 of a variety of phase change materials are plotted,
with nc.sub.1/na.sub.1 on the abscissa and with kc.sub.1/ka.sub.1
on the ordinate.
[0156] Irrespective of whether the wavelength of the recording
and/or reproducing light is 650 nm or 400 nm, the tendency is
approximately the same, such that it has become possible to realize
the above-mentioned optical characteristics in an area shown shaded
in the drawing.
[0157] That is, in the present invention, the refractive index
nc.sub.1 and the extinction coefficient kc.sub.1 in the crystalline
state and the refractive index na.sub.1 and the extinction
coefficient ka.sub.1 in the amorphous state of the phase change
material constituting the first information recording layer as
counted from the light transmission protective layer are set to
satisfy the relation such that (nc.sub.1/na.sub.1).ltoreq.12,
(kc.sub.1/ka.sub.1).ltoreq.12 and
(kc.sub.1/ka.sub.1).ltoreq.5/(nc.sub.1/na.sub.1), where
kc.sub.1/ka.sub.1<1 and nc.sub.1/na.sub.1<1 are excluded.
[0158] A multi-layered optical disc is now explained, in which
changes in the light transmittance of the first recording layer for
the light incident side recording and/or reproducing light are
diminished before and after recording the information in the first
recording layer to assure stable information recording and/or
reproduction on or from the second information recording layer as
well as to enable concurrent information recording and/or
reproduction on the first and second recording layers.
[0159] The phase change optical disc exploits the fact that the
difference in the complex refractive index of the recording
material is increased when the recording material is in the
crystalline and amorphous states. By setting an information
unrecorded portion and an information recorded portion to the
crystalline state and to the amorphous state, respectively, the
difference in the reflectance to the recording and/or reproducing
light to these regions is created for discriminating the presence
or absence of the recorded information. Also, the crystalline state
can be created by cooling the phase change material relatively
slowly. It is an initializing device used in the field of the phase
change optical disc that exploits this principle. The amorphous
state can be created by cooling relatively rapidly. It is a drive
used for information recording and/or reproduction that exploits
this principle.
[0160] FIG. 3 shows the basic structure of the two-layer optical
disc and the method of causing the recording and/or reproducing
light to fall on the optical disc.
[0161] This multi-layered optical disc includes a supporting
substrate 11 of a thermoplastic resin, 0.3 to 1.2 mm thick, and a
circumferentially spirally extending guide groove 12 formed
therein. On the guide groove 12 is formed a first recording layer
15, having a guide groove structure, via a transparent intermediate
layer 14, approximately 30 .mu.m in thickness, with a transparent
light transmitting layer 16 being formed thereon to thickness of
the order of 100 .mu.m. The wavelength of the laser light used for
recording and/or reproduction is of the order of 650 nm or 400 nm,
whilst the numerical aperture NA, representing the light converging
power of an objective lens 17, is set to 0.85. The diameter of the
light converged on the recording layer is of the order of 0.9 .mu.m
and 0.6 .mu.m, for the wavelengths of 650 nm and 400 nm,
respectively. The information is to be recorded in both the guide
groove portion convexed with respect to the incident light and the
guide groove portion concave with respect to the incident light,
respectively.
[0162] In converging the recording and/or reproducing light on the
recording layer, the laser light used for the recording and/or
reproduction is converged by being transmitted through the
objective lens used for converging this recording and/or
reproducing light. The converged light is incident on and
transmitted through the light transmitting layer 16 of the double
layer optical disc so as to be focussed on the first information
recording layer 15. The converged light further is transmitted
through the first information recording layer 15 and through the
intermediate layer 14 so as to be focussed on the second
information recording layer 13. For focussing the light on the
first recording layer 15 and on the second information layer 13, a
sole objective lens may be used, in which case the objective lens
is moved along the optical axis. Alternatively, two different
objective lenses and laser light beams paired to the objective
lenses may be used, in which the laser light beams are focussed on
respective recording layers.
[0163] The light reflectance, light transmittance and the light
absorption rate in the first and second recording layers in the
optical disc are defined in the following manner.
[0164] In FIG. 4, there are shown definitions of the reflectance
and the transmittance in the respective layers of the incident
light in the interior of the multi-layered optical disc. R1c is the
reflectance of the light incident on the first recording layer 15,
whilst T1c is the transmittance in the first recording layer 15 in
this case. R1a is the reflectance of light incident on the first
recording layer 15 in case the recording material of the first
recording layer 15 is in the crystallized state and T1a is the
light transmittance in the first recording layer 15 in this case.
A1c, A1a denote proportions of light incident on the second
recording layer 14 and absorbed by the recording materials.
[0165] R2c is the reflectance of light incident on the second
recording layer 13 in case the recording material of the second
recording layer 13 is in the crystallized state and R2a is the
reflectance of light incident on the second recording layer 13 in
case the recording material of the second recording layer 13 is in
the amorphous state. A2c, A2a denote proportions of light incident
on the second recording layer 13 and absorbed by the recording
materials.
[0166] R'2c denotes the proportion to the volume of the incident
light on the light transmitting layer of the volume of the light
incident transmitted through the first recording layer 15,
reflected by the second information layer 13, again transmitted
through the first recording layer 15 and returned to the light
transmitting layer when the recording material of the second
information layer 13 is in the crystalline state. On the other
hand, R'2a denotes the proportion to the volume of the incident
light on the light transmitting layer of the volume of the light
incident transmitted through the first recording layer 15,
reflected by the second information layer 13, again transmitted
through the first recording layer 15 and returned to the light
transmitting layer when the recording material of the second
information layer 13 is in the amorphous state.
[0167] In the overwrite phase change optical disc, Ac/Aa.gtoreq.1.0
is said to be preferred. This value affects the information
rewriting characteristics, such that a larger value of this ratio
may be said to be preferred. If the information is recorded on the
already existing recording marks, the higher the value of this
ratio, the more effectively the already existing marks are erased,
that is crystallized, under a principle termed a
pre-crystallization.
[0168] On the other hand, there is such laser light, with a
wavelength of 660 nm, used for recording and/or reproduction, that
is able by itself to develop a dc power of 50 mW, or 70 mW as a
pulse. By employing such laser light, a maximum pulse output of 10
mW may be realized on light radiation from the objective lens.
[0169] In the present embodiment, the second information layer 13,
configured as shown in FIG. 5, has the reflectance of 33.5% and a
recording power of 7 mW for the laser wavelength of 650 nm. The
allowance of the variations of the recording power, that is the
power margin, is .+-.20% relative to the center power.
[0170] Turning to the range of transmittance of the first recording
layer 15, if a volume of light sufficient to effect recording
and/or reproduction of the second information layer 13 is to reach
to the second information layer 13, the transmittance of the first
recording layer 15 of 40% is required at the minimum. On the other
hand, the upper limit of the transmittance of the first recording
layer 15 is determined in order for the first recording layer 15 to
be recordable. If the recording power currently available is taken
into consideration, the light transmittance of 70%, the light
absorption rate of 20% and the light reflectance of 10% of the
first recording layer 15 are obtained, this value of 70% being an
upper limit of the light transmittance. Thus, the range of
transmittance of the first recording layer 15 is given by
[0171] 70%.gtoreq.T1c.gtoreq.40%
[0172] and
[0173] 70%.gtoreq.T1a.gtoreq.40%.
[0174] The information recording conditions for the laser
wavelength of 650 nm include the recording linear speed of not
lower than 6 m/sec, a recording linear speed of not higher than
0.23 .mu.m/bit, with the information volume for the two-layer disc
being not less than 17 Gbyte and the transfer rate being not less
than 26 Mbps (raw data).
[0175] For the laser wavelength of 400 nm, the information
recording conditions include the recording linear speed of not
lower than 6 m/sec and a recording linear speed of not higher than
0.14 .mu.m/bit, with the information volume for the two-layer disc
being not less than 34 Gbyte and the transfer rate being not less
than 42 Mbps (raw data).
[0176] Similar discussions may, of course, be made for an optical
disc having the NA of 0.6 and the light transmitting layer of the
order of 0.6 mm, such as DVD.
[0177] If the first recording layer is formed of a overwritable
phase change recording material and signals not having the meaning
as the information is pre-recorded by a producer on the entire
surface of the information recording area, the a real ratio between
the crystalline area and the amorphous area in the first recording
layer is not changed before and after the recording on the first
recording layer when the user uses the disc, such that the second
recording layer can perpetually be recorded and/or reproduced in
stability.
[0178] FIG. 6 shows an example of a recording layer configuration
for realization of the first recording layer. Since here the
land/groove recording is presupposed, the a real ratio between the
crystalline area and the amorphous area in the first recording
layer is not changed after the recording, so that the light
transmittance in the first recording layer when the recording
and/or reproducing light is focussed on the second recording layer
is 59.8%.
[0179] FIGS. 7 and 8 show other illustrative structures of the
first recording layer. The recording and/or reproducing wavelength
is presupposed to be 650 nm. FIG. 7 and 8 show an instance where
the reflectance change before and after recording is so-called high
to low, referred to herein as H-L, and an instance where the
reflectance change before and after recording is so-called low to
high, referred to herein as L-H. FIG. 9 shows light energy
distribution between H-L type and the L-H type. Here, the following
relation is to be met:
[0180] Film structure of FIG. 7
[0181] 0.8.ltoreq.Tc/Ta=0.80.ltoreq.1.2
[0182] 70%.gtoreq.T1c=63.3%.gtoreq.40%
[0183] 70%.gtoreq.T1a=79.1%.gtoreq.40%
[0184] Ac/Aa=1.69.gtoreq.1.0;
[0185] Film structure of FIG. 8
[0186] 0.8.ltoreq.Tc/Ta=0.81.ltoreq.1.2
[0187] 70%.gtoreq.T1c=54.9%.gtoreq.40%
[0188] 70% .gtoreq.T1a=68.1%.gtoreq.40%
[0189] Ac/Aa=1.70.gtoreq.1.0.
[0190] If, in attempting to satisfy the optical characteristics
prescribed by the present invention, the transmittance of the light
incident on the first recording layer is to be not less than 40%,
the energy of the light to be absorbed by the recording material
evidently needs to be 60% or less. FIG. 10 show changes in the
energy of light transmitted through a material having an absorption
coefficient for light. The absorption coefficient for the light
incident on the recording film when the light has traversed the
recording film is expressed by
exp(-4.pi..multidot.k.multidot.dr/.lambda.)
[0191] where k denotes the absorption coefficient by the recording
film of light transmitted only once through the film of the
recording material. It is noted that, for realizing a high
transmittance, the light is desirably transmitted only once through
the inside of the film of the recording material which in general
is a multi-path interference film. If the light absorption rate by
the recording film is already not less than 60%, the transmittance
cannot be made higher, such that a multi-layered optical disc
cannot be realized. Thus, the upper limit of the thickness of the
recording film is determined by the following relation:
exp(-4.pi..multidot.k.multidot.dr/.lambda.).gtoreq.40%.
[0192] There is also a lower limit for the film of the recording
material. If the film of the recording material is to be formed by
sputtering, the thin film cannot be formed to a thickness of not
more than 5 nm, such that the material is present in a known manner
in an island pattern. Therefore, the thickness of the film of the
recording material is desirably not less than 5 nm.
[0193] Thus, the thickness of the film of the recording material
needs to meet the following relation:
exp(-4.pi..multidot.k1c.multidot.dr/.lambda.).gtoreq.40%
exp(-4.pi..multidot.k1a.multidot.dr/.lambda.).gtoreq.40%
dr.gtoreq.5 nm.
[0194] These conditions of the film thickness are all met in the
illustrative film structures of the first recording layer shown in
FIGS. 6 to 8 and in FIG. 11 as later explained.
[0195] FIG. 11 shows the structure of the first recording layer in
case the recording and/or reproducing wavelength is 400 nm. With
Ge.sub.2Sb.sub.2Te.sub.5, a phase change recording material,
extensively used in the first recording layer, the refractive index
and the ratio of the absorption rate between the crystal and the
amorphous phases becomes smaller for the wavelength of 400 nm, such
that it is difficult to satisfy the condition, now to be explained,
with the H-L type recording layer configuration. In actuality, no
suitable layered structure has been found. The layered structure
which satisfies the condition has been acquired in the L-H type
recording layer configuration. FIG. 11 shows such an illustrative
structure. In the structure of FIG. 11, the following conditions
are met:
[0196] 0.8.ltoreq.Tc/Ta=1.04.ltoreq.1.2
[0197] 70%.gtoreq.T1c=53.5%.gtoreq.40%
[0198] 70%.gtoreq.T1a=51.1%.gtoreq.40%
[0199] Ac/Aa=1.10.gtoreq.1.0.
[0200] Therefore, in the recording and/or reproducing wavelength of
400 nm, the L-H information recording type is desirable for
realization of a high performance overwrite multi-layered optical
disc.
[0201] As may be seen from the illustrative layered structure,
shown in FIG. 11, the reflectance prior to recording, that is in
the crystalline state, is not higher than 3%. The outermost surface
of the light incident side of a multi-layered optical disc is
routinely formed of polycarbonate or a UV light curable resin, with
the light reflectance on this surface being on the order of 5%. On
the other hand, the light transmitting layer, here at issue, has a
film thickness of approximately 100 .mu.m which is not larger than
1/6 of that of a conventional optical disc, such as DVD, and which
is closer to the film thickness of the intermediate layer. When the
incident light is to be focussed on the first recording layer or on
the second recording layer, focussing error servo signals, obtained
on making calculations based on the reflecting light from the
respective recording layers, are detected to find the timing for
focussing on the respective recording layers. However, if the light
transmitting layer is too thin, it becomes difficult to separate
the information from these respective recording layers from similar
signals by the reflected light from the surface of the light
transmitting layer. The result is that the focus tends to be formed
at a reflected light from the recording layers or at a reflected
light from the light transmitting layer, whichever has a higher
reflectance. Therefore, the reflectance on the surface of the light
transmitting layer is desirably lower than that of the recording
layer. If the focus is to be formed on the first recording layer or
on the second recording layer, the respective layers preferably are
of reflectance values not less than 2% in order to apply the
focussing servo. Therefore, the reflectance on the surface of the
light transmitting layer is desirably not larger than 2%.
[0202] If the multi-layered optical disc of the L-H type is to be
used, a light interference film is preferably used for prohibiting
surface reflection. This will now be explained.
[0203] FIG. 12 shows the definitions of the reflectance and
transmittance on respective recording layers of the incident light
in the inside of the multi-layered optical disc. In FIG. 12, Rs and
Ts denote the reflectance and transmittance on the surface of the
light transmitting layer, respectively.
[0204] R1, T1 and R2 denote reflectance of light incident on the
first recording layer, transmittance of light through the first
recording layer and reflectance of light incident on the second
recording layer, respectively. R2' denotes the ratio to the
incident light volume of the volume of light incident on the light
transmitting layer, transmitted through the first recording layer,
reflected by the second recording layer, re-transmitted through the
first recording layer and returned to the light transmitting
layer.
[0205] Table 1 shows the reflectance values of the surface of the
light transmitting layer, the first recording layer and the second
recording layer in the presence and absence of the light
interference film used for reducing the reflectance as later
explained with reference to FIG. 14. FIG. 13 shows focussing error
signals at the time of focussing search in the absence of the light
interference film. Meanwhile, the focussing search means the
operation of moving the objective lens up and down in FIG. 3 to
cause the light focussing position to traverse the first and second
recording layers.
1 TABLE 1 presence or absence of reflectance reducing light
interference film on the light transmitting layer surface not
present present Rs 4% 0.2% Ts 96% 99.8% R1' 4.6% 5.0% R2' 5.0% 5.4%
R1 5% 5% T1 52% 52% R2 20% 20%
[0206] At this time, the focussing position also traverses the
surface of the light transmitting layer. For the present case, the
astigmatic method is used as the focussing error search system. In
FIG. 13, there appear three error signals accompanying the
focussing search, which have occurred in the light transmitting
layer 16, first recording layer 15 and on the second information
layer 13. These signals are of the same level of amplitude, so
that, if the signal of FIG. 13 is used to effect a focussing servo
pull-in operation, the probability is high that the light be
focussed by error on the surface of the light transmitting
layer.
[0207] It is now assumed that a light interference film for
reflectance reduction be formed on the surface of the light
transmitting layer. FIG. 15 shows focussing error signals on
focussing search in the presence of a light interference film. It
is seen that, in FIG. 15, the amplitude of the focussing error
signals by the surface of the light transmitting layer is smaller
than in FIG. 13, such that clear distinction may be made from the
recording layer.
[0208] The volume of reflected light in the light interference film
configuration shown in FIG. 14, with the film thickness of each
transparent layer and with the refractive index as parameters, is
now rendered into a mathematical equation. As the tangential
components in the boundary surface of the thin film, the amplitude
of the incident light is Ei, the amplitude of the reflected light
is Er and the amplitude of the transmitted light is Et, and the
relationship is to be expressed by the characteristic matrix used
for calculating the reflectance of an optical thin film, the
following equation (2) is obtained: 1 ( Ei + Er ( Ei + Er ) y 0 ) =
( cos ( 1 ) i sin ( 1 ) / y 1 iy 1 sin ( 1 ) cos ( 1 ) ) ( cos ( 2
) i sin ( 2 ) / y 2 iy 2 sin ( 2 ) cos ( 2 ) ) ( Et Et .times. ys )
( 2 ) .delta.j=2.pi..times.nj.times.hj/.lambda.- j=1,2
yj={square root}{square root over ((.epsilon.0/.mu.0))}.times.nj
j=1,2
[0209] * {square root}{square root over ((.epsilon.0/.mu.0))} is a
dmittance in vacuum.
[0210] The energy reflection ratio is represented by
.vertline.Er/Ei.vertline..sup.2 (3)
[0211] and hence can be calculated from the relationship employing
the above-mentioned characteristic matrix.
[0212] Since the surface reflectance of the light transmitting
layer by itself is of the order of 4%, the disc surface reflectance
is desirably not larger than 2% in order to distinguish the disc
surface reflectance from the reflectance R1' of the fist recording
layer, second recording layer R2' (=5%) and the volume of the
reflected light. Therefore, the equations (2) and (3) desirably
exhibit the following relation (4):
.vertline.Er/Ei.vertline..sup.2.ltoreq.2%tm (4)
[0213] There are numerous combinations of n1, n2, d1, d2 which
satisfy the equation (3) and which operate as reflectance reducing
interference films. Only a few examples are shown in Table 2.
2TABLE 2 n1 n2 d1 (mm) d2 (mm) Rs (%) 1.4 2.0 180 190 1.76 1.5 2.2
80 120 0.04 1.6 2.0 80 100 0.70 1.7 2.0 130 50 1.16 1.8 2.0 100 70
1.25 1.9 2.2 80 80 0.54 2.0 2.2 80 80 1.42
[0214] For reducing the reflectance on the surface of the light
transmitting layer as far as possible, it is desirable that the
relation be met:
n1.times.d1=n2.times.d2=.lambda./4, where .lambda. is the
wavelength of the incident light in vacuum (5)
[0215] with
(n2/n1).sup.2=ns (6)
[0216] and with
n1<n2>ns (7).
[0217] At this time, the reflectance is theoretically 0%. Although
slight deviation is produced by the error caused in the manufacture
of thin films, it is possible to reduce reflectance to
approximately 0.2%.
[0218] FIGS. 16 to 20 show different types of a layered structure
having the capability as the first recording layer.
[0219] FIGS. 21 to 24 show different types of a layered structure
having the capability as the second recording layer.
[0220] Specified experimental results for the recording and/or
reproducing wavelength of 400 nm of the first recording layer are
shown in Tables 3 to 7. The optical characteristics of the
materials used in these examples are shown in Table 8.
3TABLE 3 type ZSSI GST ZSS2 Rc Ra Tc Ta Ac Aa Tavg A/Aa H-L 130 8
150 11.6 3.1 48.9 54.8 39.5 42.0 51.9 0.94 L-H 110 8 100 2.9 9.1
53.3 51.1 43.7 39.8 52.2 1.10
[0221]
4TABLE 4 type ZSSI GST SiO2 ZSS2 Rc Ra Tc Ta Ac Aa Tavg Ac/Aa H-L
120 8 150 110 4.0 1.3 59.3 62.6 36.3 36.1 61.2 1.01 130 8 140 110
4.6 1.8 60.9 63.8 34.5 34.4 62.4 1.00 L-H 110 8 110 50 7.1 15.9
54.8 50.7 38.0 33.4 52.8 1.14 120 8 110 130 54.0 51.2 54.0 51.2
44.5 40.7 52.6 1.11
[0222]
5TABLE 5 type ZSSI SiO2 GST ZSS2 Rc Ra Tc Ta Ac Aa Tavg Ac/Aa H-L
50 120 8 50 5.1 2.3 61.0 63.9 33.9 33.7 62.5 1.01 L-H 130 120 8 180
1.1 8.1 51.3 48.9 47.6 43.0 50.1 1.15 50 110 8 190 8.4 17.8 52.5
48.0 39.1 34.0 50.3
[0223]
6TABLE 6 type Si ZSSI GST ZSS2 Rc Ra Tc Ta Ac Aa Tavg Ac/Aa H-L 2
120 8 110 2.8 0.2 53.6 56.3 33.6 33.5 55.0 1.00 L-H 2 100 8 110 3.9
11.5 51.3 49.2 38.3 34.9 50.3 1.10 4 100 8 110 3.2 8.8 51.8 51.3
32.2 30.6 51.6 1.05
[0224]
7TABLE 7 type Au ZSSI GST ZSS2 Rc Ra Tc Ta Ac Aa Tavg Ac/Aa H-L 2
50 8 120 5.7 2.2 51.1 53.0 25.3 24.9 52.1 1.02 2 140 8 200 7.2 3.0
49.7 51.2 28.0 27.5 50.5 1.02 L-H 2 120 8 120 1.4 3.7 51.1 51.5
25.3 24.2 51.3 1.05
[0225]
8 TABLE 8 n-H (complex refractive index, optical recording and/or
reproducing conditions wavelength .lambda. = 400 nm required ZSS
(ZnS--SiO2) 2.32 Rc/Ra .gtoreq. 2.o Tavg .gtoreq. 50 Ac/Aa .gtoreq.
1.0 GST-C (GeSbTe) 2.0-3.0i (crystal)) GST-A (GeSbTe 3.0-2.0i
(amorphous)) Si 4.96-0.48i SiO2 1.5 Au 2.0-2.5i light transmission
1.57 protective layer substrate 1.57
[0226] In any case, the value of Ac/Aa is larger with the H-L type
than with the L-H type.
[0227] An optical disc comprised of plural sets each made up of an
enhancement film, a crystallization promoting film and an
information recording film by a phase change material are layered
together, and also comprised of a reflecting film on only the
information recording layer closest to a supporting substrate is
hereinafter explained. The film materials constituting the
respective recording layers are selected so that the optical disc
is overwritable and is able to make high density recording.
[0228] FIG. 25 shows a cross-section showing such optical disc.
This optical disc 21 is applied to a case of high density recording
the desired information at a high transfer rate and reproducing the
recorded information. In forming the optical disc 21, plural
information recording layers 23, 24 are layered on the supporting
substrate 22, with the interposition of the intermediate layers 26,
and a light transmitting layer 26 is formed thereon. With the
optical disc 21, a pre-set amount of the laser light beam is
selectively converged on the information recording layers 23, 24,
from the side of the light transmitting layer 26, to record desired
data on the respective information recording layers 23, 24.
[0229] In the information recording layer 23 of the supporting
substrate 22 is formed a pattern of crests and recesses,
constituting a guide groove of the laser light beam L, and is
designed as a plastics substrate, a glass substrate, or a metal
substrate of, for example, aluminum or stainless steel. If the
supporting substrate 22 is formed of plastics, the pattern of
crests and recesses is formed by injection molding, whereas, if the
supporting substrate 22 is formed of glass or metal, the pattern is
formed by the photopolymer (2P) method. The supporting substrate is
formed to a thickness of 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm, so that the thickness of
the optical disc 21 in its entirety is not thicker than the
currently commercialized optical disc.
[0230] The information recording layer 23 is provided with a film
of a phase change material and is formed to high sensitivity to
enable the recording reliably even with the light transmitted
through the information recording layer 24. Specifically, the
information recording layer 23 is formed by sequentially layering,
from the side of the supporting substrate 22, a reflecting film
23A, a second enhancement film 23B, a second crystallization
promoting layer 23C, a film of a phase change material 23D, a first
crystallization promoting layer 23E, a first enhancement film 23F
and a semi-transparent enhancement film 23G.
[0231] It is noted that the reflecting film 23A is constituted by
an Al alloy, a BiSb alloy or an Ag alloy, and is configured to
reflect the laser light beam L transmitted through the film of the
phase change material 23D to cause it to be re-incident on the film
of the phase change material 23D to increase the utilization
efficiency of the laser light beam L to improve the sensitivity of
the information recording layer 23. This enables the film of the
phase change material 23D to be reliably fused by the light beam
transmitted through the upper layer side information recording
layer 24 and which is thus reduced in light volume, even if the
beam spot diameter is small-sized to increase the linear speed.
[0232] The second enhancement film 23B and the first enhancement
film 23F are formed of at least one of ZnS, ZnS--SiO.sub.2,
SiO.sub.2 and MgF.sub.2. By selecting the film thicknesses of these
films 23B, 23F depending on the optical properties of the
respective materials, the reflectance difference between a
crystallized area and the amorphous area of the film of the phase
change material 23D is increased, whereby it is possible for the
second enhancement film 23B and the first enhancement film 23F to
discriminate the crystallized area and the amorphous area of the
film of the phase change material 23D even in cases wherein the
beam spot diameter is reduced to increase the linear speed. The
second enhancement film 23B and the first enhancement film 23F may
be omitted if the reflectance difference between the crystallized
area and the amorphous area in the film of the phase change
material 23D can be maintained to a practically sufficient extent
by the phase change material making up the phase change material
23D and the configuration of the optical system.
[0233] The second crystallization promoting film 23C and the first
crystallization promoting film 23E are manufactured by a material
having only inferior wetting properties with respect to the film of
the phase change material 23D so that, if the phase change material
is solidified to an amorphous state, it is solidified to a high
energy state to promote the melting and crystallization of the film
of the phase change material 23D as a relaxation phenomenon.
Specifically, the second crystallization promoting film 23C is
formed of a material containing at least one of Si, SiC, Ge, GeC,
Sn, SnC, Al, AlC, Ga, GaC, In, InC chlorides or oxides thereof, to
a film thickness proper to optical properties of the respective
materials. In this manner, the second crystallization promoting
film 23C and the first crystallization promoting film 23E are able
to crystalize the amorphous area of the film of the phase change
material 23D easily even if the beam spot diameter is reduced to
increase the linear speed. Meanwhile, the second crystallization
promoting film 23C and the first crystallization promoting film 23E
can occasionally be omitted if the linear speed of the laser light
beam L is low, since then the sufficient time for crystallization
is assured.
[0234] The film of the phase change material 23D is formed of a
phase change material selected from the group of InSe, SbSe and
SbTe binary alloys, InSbSe, GeSbTe and InSbTe ternary alloys,
GeSbTeSe and AgInSbTe quatanary alloys, an AgInSbSeTe quinary
alloys, nitrides and oxides of these alloys. The film of the phase
change material 23D is prepared by e.g., sputtering. If the film of
the phase change material 23D is prepared by sputtering, the film
of the phase change material 23D in its entirety is usually
crystallized on illumination of an even light beam, directly after
preparation, by way of executing the so-called initialization.
[0235] The semi-transparent enhancement film 23G causes multi-path
reflection of the light beam transmitting through the film of the
phase change material 23D to increase the sensitivity if the
information recording layer 23. The semi-transparent enhancement
film 23G also reverses the reflectance rate between the
crystallized area and the amorphous area of the film of the phase
change material 23D when looking from the side the light
transmitting layer B. That is, the reflectance and the thermal
conductivity are generally higher in the crystallized region than
in the amorphous region. Moreover, in the crystallized region,
latent heat is required for melting, so that the crystallized
region is more difficult to melt than the amorphous region. Thus,
in the case of direct overwrite, non-erasure occurs partially. This
partial non-erasure is observed by waveform distortion of the
playback signals on reproduction. Thus, the semi-transparent
enhancement film 23G reverses the reflectance ratio between the
crystallized region and the amorphous region to permit a larger
amount of the light beam to be illuminated on the crystallized
region to prohibit partial non-erasure due to overwriting. The
semi-transparent enhancement film 23G is prepared by a material
containing at least one of Au, an AuCo alloy, Si, an Ag alloy,
SiO.sub.x, ZnS--SiO.sub.x, an Au--SiO.sub.2 mixture and an
Au--ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixture, where x.ltoreq.2.
[0236] The intermediate layer 5 is a layer of a transparent
material of a thickness of approximately 30 .mu.m, and is formed by
an acrylic acid based UV light curable resin, a polycarbonate sheet
or a polyolefin sheet. This intermediate layer 25 is set so that,
if the light beam L is converged on one of the information
recording layer 23 or 24, the light beam L will be practically
sufficiently defocussed on the other information recording layer 24
or 23, in such a manner that temperature rise in the other
information recording layer 24 or 23 is not above a predetermined
value. To this end, the intermediate layer 25 has its thickness
limited by the numerical aperture NA of the objective lens L
converging the laser light beam L. It is noted that, if the
numerical aperture NA of the objective lens L is increased, the
beam spot diameter is reduced, so that, if, by this reduction in
the beam spot diameter, such a recording capacity is to be
maintained which renders recording difficult for a conventional
two-layered optical disc and which is of the order of 15 GB for a
12-inch optical disc, the numerical aperture NA of the order of 0.9
to 0.8 is required. Thus, the intermediate layer 25 is set to a
film thickness of the order of 30 .mu.m so that the film thickness
will be sufficient to realize this order of magnitude of the
numerical aperture NA.
[0237] Similarly to the supporting substrate 22, the intermediate
layer 25 carries a pattern of crests and recesses on the side of
the information recording layer 24. This pattern of crests and
recesses constitutes a guide groove for the laser light beam L.
[0238] Similarly to the information recording layer 23, the
information recording layer 24 is provided with a film of a phase
change material, and is designed to have sensitivity lower than
that of the information recording layer 23. That is, the
information recording layer 4 is formed similarly to the
information recording layer 23 provided on the side of the
supporting substrate except that the reflecting layer and the
semi-transparent enhancement layer are both omitted. Thus, the
information recording layer 24 is formed by sequentially layering,
from the side of the supporting substrate 22, a second enhancement
film 24B, a second crystallization promoting film 24C, a film of a
phase change material 24D, a first crystallization promoting film
24E, and a first enhancement film 24F. The second enhancement film
24B, a second crystallization promoting film 24C, a film of a phase
change material 24D, a first crystallization promoting film 24E,
and a first enhancement film 24F are configured similarly to the
corresponding film s of the first information recording layer 23.
Thus, it is possible with the information recording layer 24 to
reliably record the desired information and to reproduce the
recorded information even if the beam spot size is reduced to
increase the linear speed, as in the case of the information
recording layer 24.
[0239] The light transmitting layer 26, constituting a protective
layer for the information recording layer 24, is formed by using an
acrylic acid based UV light curable resin, a polycarbonate sheet or
a polyolefin sheet. The light transmitting layer 26 is formed to a
thickness of 10 to 177 .mu.m so that skew distortion can be
diminished sufficiently on radiating the laser light beam L via an
objective lens having the numerical aperture NA of the order of 0.8
to 0.9.
[0240] Meanwhile, the information recording layers 23, 24 are
preferably of the multi-layered structure, shown in FIG. 1, in
light of reliable recording and/or reproduction of desire
information linear speed. However, if the linear speed of the laser
light beam L is low, the crystallization promoting layers 23C, 23E,
24C, 24E or the enhancement film s 23B, 23F, 24B, 24F can be
optionally omitted, as described above. If the structure of the
information recording layers 23, 24 is simplified in this manner,
the desired information can be reliably recorded and/or reproduced
preferably by sequentially layering a reflecting film, an
enhancement film, a film of a phase change material, a
crystallization promoting film, an enhancement film and a
semi-transparent enhancement film or, more preferably, by layering
a reflecting film, an enhancement film, a crystallization promoting
film, a film of a phase change material, a crystallization
promoting film, an enhancement film and a semi-transparent
enhancement film, looking from the side of the supporting substrate
22, even if the beam spot diameter is diminished to increase the
linear speed.
[0241] Although the foregoing embodiment is directed to preparation
of the optical disc by layering two information recording layers,
the present invention is not limited to this configuration and may
be applied to constructing an optical disc by layering plural
information recording layers. Moreover, the present invention may
be broadly applied to a variety of optical information recording
layers, in addition to an optical disc.
[0242] FIG. 26 is a diagrammatic view showing an optical system of
an optical disc device for accessing the optical disc 21. This
optical disc device 30 converts the laser light beam L, radiated
from the laser diode 31, into a collimated light beam by a
collimator lens 32 and corrected for astigmatic aberration by an
astigmatism correcting plate 33. The resulting light beam is
reflected by a polarizing beam splitter 34 to warp the optical path
of the laser light beam in a direction towards the optical disc 21.
The optical disc 30 also polarizes the light beam by a quarter wave
plate 35 to illuminate the polarized light on an optical disc 21 by
an objective lens 36. The optical disc device 30 causes movement of
the optical disc 36 in a direction along the optical axis to
selectively converge the laser light beam L on the information
recording layer 23 or 24 to selectively access the information
recording layer 23 or 24.
[0243] The optical disc device 30 also receives the return light,
obtained on radiating the light beam, by the objective lens 36, and
then polarizes the return light by the quarter wave plate 35,
arranged next to the objective lens 36, to the plane of
polarization lying at right angles to the laser light beam L. The
optical disc device 30 also permits the return light from the
quarter wave plate 35 to be transmitted through the polarizing beam
splitter 34 to converge the transmitted light beam by a collimator
lens 37 on the light receiving surface of a light receiving element
38.
[0244] For reproduction, the optical disc device 30 causes the
laser light beam L to be radiated from the laser diode 31, with a
constant playback light volume, to process the result of the
received light by the light receiving element 38 to reproduce the
information recorded on the optical disc 21. For recording, the
light volume of the light beam is intermittently increased from the
pre-set light volume to partially amorphize or partially
crystallize the film of the phase change material of the
information recording layer 23 or 24 to record the desired
information by a pit string.
[0245] In the structure of the above-described embodiment, the film
of the phase change material is held by the crystallization
promoting film, the enhancement film, a reflection film and a
semi-transparent enhancement film are arranged on the side of the
supporting substrate and on the opposite side, respectively, and
the materials of these film s are selected properly to enable the
desired data to be positively recorded and/or reproduced, despite
reduction in the size of the beam spot diameter and increased
linear speed, whereby it is possible to realize an information
recording medium which is overwritable and on which the information
can be recorded to high density.
[0246] That is, by forming the crystallization promoting film of a
material containing at least one of Si, SiC, Ge, GeC, Sn, SnC, Al,
AlC, Ga, GaC, In, InC, chlorides and oxides thereof, it is possible
to amorphize the phase change material easily.
[0247] In addition, by forming the enhancement film by a material
containing at least one of ZnS, ZnS--SiO.sub.2, SiO.sub.2 and
MgF.sub.2, it is possible to reliably distinguish the amorphous and
crystallized portions from each other.
[0248] By forming the semi-transparent enhancement film by a
material containing at least one of SiO.sub.x, a ZnS--SiO.sub.2,
Au--SiO.sub.2 mixture and an Au--ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixture, it is
possible to positively prohibit insufficience erasure.
[0249] Also, by forming the reflective film by a material
containing one of Al alloys and BiSb, it is possible to achieve
sufficient sensitivity.
EXAMPLES
[0250] In the following, specified Examples of the multi-layered
optical disc according to the present invention are explained.
Example 1
[0251] The first information recording layer on the light incident
side is of a three-layered structure comprised of a ZnS--SiO.sub.2
mixed dielectric film 31, a film of a GeSbTe phase change material
32, and a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film 33, looking from the
light incident side, as shown in FIG. 27. On the ZnS--SiO.sub.2
mixed dielectric film 31, there is formed a light transmission
protective film 34, whereas, on the opposite side of the layered
structure, there is formed a second information recording layer, as
later explained, with interposition of an intermediate layer
35.
[0252] The optical constants for the wavelength of 400 nm are such
that the refractive index of ZnS--SiO.sub.2 of 2.32, the complex
refractive index of the GeSbTe crystal of 2.0-3.0i and the complex
refractive index of the amorphous phase of 3.0-2.0i. As a result of
calculations of the film thickness structure, employing these
values, there was found a solution which met the condition shown in
FIG. 2 at a film thickness of the ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric
film of 110 nm, a film thickness of the GeSbTe phase change
material of 8 nm and a film thickness of the ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed
dielectric film of 100 nm, looking from the light incident side.
The reflectance of the crystal, reflectance of the amorphous phase,
absorption rate of the crystal, absorption rate of the amorphous
phase, transmittance of the crystal and the transmittance of the
amorphous phase were 2.9%, 9.1%, 43.7%, 39.8%, 53.4%, and 51.1%,
respectively.
[0253] The layered structure of the second information recording
layer was a five-layered structure, comprised of a Si
semi-transparent film 41, a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film
42, a layer of a GeSbTe phase change material 43, a ZnS--SiO.sub.2
mixed dielectric film 44, and an Al alloy reflective film 45,
looking sequentially from the light incident side, as shown in FIG.
5. These layers are formed on a supporting substrate 46, and the
above-mentioned first information recording layer is layered
thereon via the intermediate layer 35.
[0254] The optical constants for the wavelength of 400 nm are such
that the complex refractive index of Si is 4.96-0.48i, the
refractive index of ZnS--SiO.sub.2 is 2.32, the complex refractive
index of the GeSbTe crystal is 2.0-3.0i, the complex refractive
index of the amorphous phase is 3.0-2.0i and the complex refractive
index of the Al alloy is 0.59-4.43i.
[0255] As a result of calculations of the film thickness structure,
employing these values, there was found a solution which met the
condition shown in FIG. 2 at a film thickness of the Si
semi-transparent film 41 of 8 nm, a film thickness of the
ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film of 80 nm, a film thickness of
the film of the GeSbTe phase change material of 14 nm, a film
thickness of the ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film of 30 nm and
a film thickness of the Al alloy reflective film of 19 nm.
Specifically, the reflectance of the crystal phase, reflectance of
the amorphous phase, the absorption rate of the crystal phase and
the absorption rate of the amorphous phase were 6.8%, 28.0%, 69.0%
and 56.9%, respectively.
[0256] A recording medium of the aforementioned film structure was
formed by sputtering to enable recording and/or reproduction with
the wavelength of 400 nm, a numerical aperture NA of the objective
lens of 0.85, a linear speed of 4 m/sec and a pit length of 0.135
.mu.m.
Example 2
[0257] The first information recording layer on the light incident
side was of a five-layered structure comprised of a ZnS--SiO.sub.2
mixed dielectric film 51, a Si.sub.3N.sub.4 dielectric film 52, a
film of a GeSbTe phase change material 53, a Si.sub.3N.sub.4
dielectric film 54 and a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film 55,
looking from the light incident side, as shown in FIG. 29. On the
ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film 51 was formed a light
transmission protective layer 56. On the opposite side of the
layered structure was formed a second information recording layer,
as later explained, with an intermediate layer 57 in-between.
[0258] The optical constants for the wavelength of 400 nm are such
that the refractive index of ZnS--SiO2 is 2.32, the refractive
index of Si3N4 is 2.32, the complex refractive index of GeSbTe was
2.0-3.0i and the complex refractive index of the amorphous phase 55
was 3.0-2.0i. As a result of calculations of the film thickness
structure, employing these values, there was found a solution which
met the condition shown in FIG. 2 at a film thickness of the
ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film of 100 nm, a film thickness of
the film of the Si.sub.3N.sub.4 dielectric film of 10 nm, a film
thickness of the film of the phase change material of 8 nm, a film
thickness of the film of the Si.sub.3N.sub.4 dielectric film of 10
nm and a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film of 90 nm, looking
from the light incident side. Specifically, the reflectance of the
crystal phase, reflectance of the amorphous phase, absorption rate
of the crystal phase, absorption rate of the amorphous phase were,
transmittance of the crystal phase and the transmittance of the
amorphous phase were 2.9%, 9.1%, 43.7%, 39.8%, 53.4% and 51.1%,
respectively.
[0259] The second information recording layer was of a
seven-layered structure comprised of a Si semi-transparent film 61,
a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film 62, a Si.sub.3N.sub.4
dielectric film 63, a film of a GeSbTe phase change material 64,
Si.sub.3N.sub.4 dielectric film 65, a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed
dielectric film 66 and an Al alloy reflective film 67, looking from
the light incident side, as shown in FIG. 30. These are formed on
the supporting substrate 68. The first information recording layer
is layered on the second information recording layer via the
intermediate layer 57.
[0260] The optical constants for the wavelength of 400 nm are such
that the complex refractive index of Si was 4.96-0.48i, the
refractive index of ZnS--SiO.sub.2 is 2.32, the refractive index of
Si.sub.3N.sub.4 is 2.32, the complex refractive index of GeSbTe
crystal was 2.0-3.0i, the complex refractive index of the amorphous
phase 55 was 3.0-2.0i and the complex refractive index of the Al
alloy was 0.59-4.43i. As a result of calculations of the film
thickness structure, employing these values, there was found a
solution which met the condition shown in FIG. 2 at a film
thickness of the Si semi-transparent film of 8 nm, a film thickness
of the ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film of 70 nm, a film
thickness of the film of the Si.sub.3N.sub.4 dielectric film of 10
nm, a film thickness of the film of the phase change material of 14
nm, a film thickness of the film of the Si.sub.3N.sub.4 dielectric
film of 10 nm, a film thickness of the ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed
dielectric film of 20 nm and a film thickness of the Al alloy
reflective film of 19 nm, looking from the light incident side.
Specifically, the reflectance of the crystal phase, reflectance of
the amorphous phase, the absorption rate of the crystal phase and
the absorption rate of the amorphous phase were 6.8%, 28.0%, 69.0%
and 56.9%, respectively.
[0261] A recording medium of the aforementioned film structure was
formed by sputtering to enable recording and/or reproduction with
the wavelength of 400 nm, a numerical aperture NA of the objective
lens of 0.85, a linear speed of 8 m/sec and a pit length of 0.135
.mu.m.
Example 3
[0262] The layered structure of the first information recording
layer on the light incident side was a three-layer structure
comprised of a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film, a film of the
GeSbTe phase change material and a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric
film, looking from the light incident side, as in the Example 1
above.
[0263] The optical constants for the wavelength of 650 nm are such
that the refractive index of ZnS--SiO.sub.2 is 2.13, the complex
refractive index of GeSbTe crystal was 4.1-3.2i and the complex
refractive index of the amorphous phase was 3.8-1.6i. As a result
of calculations of the film thickness structure, employing these
values, there was found a solution which met the condition shown in
FIG. 2 at a film thickness of the ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric
film of 60 nm, a film thickness of the film of the GeSbTe phase
change material of 5 nm and a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film
of 170 nm, looking from the light incident side. Specifically, the
reflectance of the crystal phase, reflectance of the amorphous
phase, the absorption rate of the crystal phase, the absorption
rate of the amorphous phase, the transmittance of the crystal phase
and the transmittance of the amorphous phase were 3.2%, 7.3%,
41.9%, 24.6%, 54.9% and 68.1%, respectively.
[0264] The layered structure of the second information recording
layer was of a five-layered structure comprised of an Au
semi-transparent film 71, a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film
72, a film of the GeSbTe phase change material 73, a ZnS--SiO.sub.2
mixed dielectric film 74 and an Al alloy reflective film 75,
looking from the light incident side, as shown in FIG. 31. These
are formed on the supporting substrate 76. The first information
recording layer is layered on the second information recording
layer via intermediate layer 77.
[0265] The optical constants for the wavelength of 650 nm are such
that the complex refractive index of Au was 0.19-3.5i, the
refractive index of ZnS--SiO.sub.2 is 2.13, the complex refractive
index of GeSbTe crystal was 4.1-3.2i, the complex refractive index
of the amorphous phase was 3.8-1.6i and the complex refractive
index of the Al alloy was 1.7-6.0i. As a result of calculations of
the film thickness structure, employing these values, there was
found a solution which met the condition shown in FIG. 2 at a film
thickness of the Au semi-transparent film of 10 nm, a film
thickness of the ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film of 95 nm, a
film thickness of the ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film of 50 nm
and a film thickness of the Al alloy reflective film of 19 nm,
looking from the light incident side. Specifically, the reflectance
of the crystal phase, reflectance of the amorphous phase, the
absorption rate of the crystal phase and the absorption rate of the
amorphous phase were 9.8%, 30.8%, 73.2% and 48.8%,
respectively.
[0266] A recording medium of the aforementioned film structure was
formed by sputtering to enable recording and/or reproduction with
the wavelength of 650 nm, a numerical aperture NA of the objective
lens of 0.85, a linear speed of 4 m/sec and a pit length of 0.22
.mu.m.
Example 4
[0267] The first information recording layer on the light incident
side was of a five-layered structure comprised of a ZnS--SiO.sub.2
mixed dielectric film, a Si.sub.3N.sub.4 dielectric film, a film of
a GeSbTe phase change material, a Si.sub.3N.sub.4 dielectric film
and a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film, looking from the light
incident side, as in Example 2 above.
[0268] The optical constants for the wavelength of 650 nm are such
that the refractive index of ZnS--SiO.sub.2 is 2.13, the refractive
index of Si.sub.3N.sub.4 is 2.32, the complex refractive index of
GeSbTe crystal was 4.1-3.2i and the complex refractive index of the
amorphous phase was 3.8-1.6i. As a result of calculations of the
film thickness structure, employing these values, there was found a
solution which met the condition shown in FIG. 2 at a film
thickness of the ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film of 50 nm, a
film thickness of the Si.sub.3N.sub.4 film of 10 nm, a film
thickness of the film of the phase change material of 5 nm, a film
thickness of the film of the Si.sub.3N.sub.4 dielectric film of 10
nm and a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film of 160 nm, looking
from the light incident side. Specifically, the reflectance of the
crystal phase, reflectance of the amorphous phase, the absorption
rate of the crystal phase, the absorption rate of the amorphous
phase were, the transmittance of the crystal phase and the
transmittance of the amorphous phase were 3.2%, 7.3%, 41.9%, 24.6%,
54.9% and 68.1%, respectively.
[0269] The second information recording layer was of a
seven-layered structure comprised of an Au semi-transparent film
81, a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film 82, a Si.sub.3N.sub.4
dielectric film 83, a film of a GeSbTe phase change material 84,
Si.sub.3N.sub.4 dielectric film 85, a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed
dielectric film 86 and an Al alloy reflective film 87, looking from
the light incident side, as shown in FIG. 32. These are formed on
the supporting substrate 88. The first information recording layer
is layered on the second information recording layer via an
intermediate layer 89.
[0270] The optical constants for the wavelength of 650 nm are such
that the complex refractive index of Au was 0.19-3.5i, the
refractive index of ZnS--SiO.sub.2 is 2.13, the refractive index of
Si.sub.3N.sub.4 is 2.13, the complex refractive index of GeSbTe
crystal was 4.1-3.2i, the complex refractive index of the amorphous
phase was 3.8-1.6i and the complex refractive index of the Al alloy
was 1.7-6.0i. As a result of calculations of the film thickness
structure, employing these values, there was found a solution which
met the condition shown in FIG. 2 at a film thickness of the Au
semi-transparent film of 10 nm, a film thickness of the
ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric film of 85 nm, a film thickness of
the film of the Si.sub.3N.sub.4 dielectric film of 10 nm, a film
thickness of the film of the GeSbTe phase change material of 14 nm,
a film thickness of the film of the Si.sub.3N.sub.4 dielectric film
of 10 nm, a film thickness of the ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixed dielectric
film of 40 nm and a film thickness of the Al alloy reflective film
of 19 nm, looking from the light incident side. Specifically, the
reflectance of the crystal phase, reflectance of the amorphous
phase, the absorption rate of the crystal phase and the absorption
rate of the amorphous phase were 9.8%, 30.80%, 73.2% and 48.8%,
respectively.
[0271] A recording medium of the aforementioned film structure was
formed by sputtering to enable recording and/or reproduction with
the wavelength of 650 nm, a numerical aperture NA of the objective
lens of 0.85, a linear speed of 10 m/sec and a pit length of 0.22
.mu.m.
Example 5
[0272] In the present Example, the optical disc 21 is constituted
by layering the information recording layers 23, 24, with the
intermediate layer 25 in-between, as shown in FIG. 25. In the
present Example, the supporting substrate 22 is a carbonate
substrate 1.2 mm thick and a pattern of crests and recesses is
formed as-one with the supporting substrate by injection molding.
The pattern of the crests and recesses form a land/groove recording
guide groove, having a track pitch of 0.9 .mu.m.
[0273] In the present Example, the a reflecting film 23A of an Al
alloy, a second enhancement film 23B by a ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixture, a
second crystallization promoting film 23C by SiN, a film of the
phase change material 23D by GeSbTeN, a first crystallization
promoting film 23E by SiN, a first enhancement film 23F by a
ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixture and a semi-transparent enhancement film 23G
by an Au-Co alloy, are sequentially formed by a sputtering method
to form an information recording layer 23. This information
recording layer 23 was evenly irradiated with a light beam to
crystallize the film of the phase change material 23D by way of
executing an initializing processing.
[0274] The film thicknesses of the respective film s were as
follows:
[0275] reflecting film 23A: 20 nm
[0276] second enhancement film 23B: 45 nm
[0277] second crystallization promoting film 23C: 10 nm
[0278] film of the phase change material 23D: 14 nm
[0279] first crystallization promoting film 23E: 10 nm
[0280] first enhancement film 23F: 85 nm
[0281] semi-transparent enhancement film 23G: 11 nm.
[0282] Then, after coating an acrylic acid based UV light curable
resin by spin coating, the resulting product was cured with a UV
lamp to form an intermediate layer 25 having a thickness of 30
.mu.m. A pattern of crests and recesses is formed at this time by
the 2P method and, by this pattern, a guide groove for forming the
land and groove in the information recording layer 24 was formed.
Meanwhile, this guide groove was formed at a track pitch of 0.9
.mu.m.
[0283] On the intermediate layer 25, there were sequentially formed
a second enhancement film 24B by the ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixture, a
second crystallization promoting film 24C by SiN, a film of a
GeSbTeN phase change material 24D, a first crystallization
promoting film 24E by SiN and a first enhancement film 24F by a
ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixture, by a sputtering method.
[0284] The film thicknesses of the respective film s were as
follows:
[0285] second enhancement film 24B: 110 nm
[0286] second crystallization promoting film 24C: 10 nm
[0287] film of the phase change material 24D: 8 nm
[0288] first crystallization promoting film 24E: 10 nm
[0289] first enhancement film 24F: 100 nm.
[0290] Then, after coating an acrylic acid based UV light curable
resin by spin coating, the resulting product was cured with a UV
lamp to form the light transmitting layer 26. The information
recording layer 24 was evenly illuminated by a laser beam to
crystallize the film of the phase change material 24D. By way of
performing the initializing processing. Meanwhile, the light
transmitting layer 26 was prepared to a thickness of 70 .mu.m.
[0291] In the present Example, the optical disc was accessed by the
optical system configured as described above, to confirm the
characteristics. In this optical system, the numerical aperture NA
was 0.85, with the light beam being f a wavelength of 650 nm. On
this optical disc 21, the desired information was recorded and
reproduced with a pit length Of 0.23 .mu.m and a linear speed of 10
m/s. The recorded information could be reproduced with a jitter not
larger than 10%. With the pit length of 0.23 .mu.m and the linear
speed of 10 m/s, since the track pitch is 0.9 .mu.m, the recording
capacity of 16 GB could be procured in the upper and lower
information recording layers 23, 24 with the optical disc with a
diameter of 12 cm.
[0292] In the present Example, an optical disc 90, configured as
shown in FIG. 33, was accessed by way of comparison to the
above-described optical disc 21 to confirm its characteristics.
[0293] With the present optical disc 90, a reflecting film 93A of
an Al alloy, a second enhancement film 93B by the ZnS--SiO.sub.2
mixture, a film of a phase change material 93D by GeSbTe and a
first enhancement film 93F by the ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixture were
sequentially formed by a sputtering method to form an information
recording layer 93, which information recording layer 93 then was
initialized by illumination of a light beam.
[0294] On the other hand, an intermediate layer 95 of the same
structure and material as those of the optical disc 21 was
prepared, and a reflecting film 93A by the Al alloy, a second
enhancement film 93B by the ZnS--SiO2 mixture, a film of the GeSbTe
phase change material 93D and the first enhancement film 93F by the
ZnS--SiO.sub.2 mixture were sequentially formed on the intermediate
layer 95 to form an information recording layer 94. Then, a light
transmitting layer 96 similar to the light transmitting layer of
the optical disc 21 was formed and initialized.
[0295] This optical disc 90 was evaluated in the same way as in
evaluating the optical disc 21. It was found that rewriting with
the pit length of 0.23 .mu.m and the linear speed of 10 m/s was
difficult, and that data recorded with an amount of jitter
approximately equal to that with the optical disc 21 could be
rewritten at the linear speed of 4 m/s, so that it was possible to
evaluate the effect of, for example, the crystallization promoting
film.
* * * * *