Method and apparatus for manufacturing an optical disc

Method of manufacturing an optical disc, having a recording layer and a light-transmitting layer formed on a substrate, whereon a recording and/or a reproducing of information signals are carried out by a light input through said light-transmitting layer, the method comprising the steps of;

• a supplying step of supplying an ultraviolet curable resin in the liquid phase on a central area of the recording layer of said substrate,
• a first step of overlapping a resin film on said substrate whereon said ultraviolet curable resin is already supplied, and expanding said ultraviolet curable resin between said resin film and said recording layer while keeping the temperature around a radially outer portion of said substrate higher than that around a radially inner portion of said substrate and while rotating said substrate around a rotating shaft aligned with the center of said substrate, and
• a second step of curing said expanded ultraviolet curable resin so as to form said light-transmitting layer together with said resin film.

An apparatus for manufacturing an optical disc having a recording layer and a light-transmitting layer on a circular substrate, whereon a recording and/or a reproducing of information on the recording layer is carried out by a light input through said light-transmitting layer, the apparatus comprising;

• a rotating stage which rotates said substrate around a rotating shaft aligned with the center of said substrate placed on the stage,
• a resin supplier which supplies an ultraviolet curable resin on a central area of the substrate placed on said rotating stage,
• one or more heaters provided around a radially outer portion of the substrate placed on said rotating stage, and a controller which controls said rotating stage, said resin supplier and said heaters.