Optical memory device and process for operating the same

A process for operating an optical memory device, comprising the steps of:

• heating a recording layer of an optical memory device, which contains a photochromic compound and an electron-accepting compound, temporarily to a melting point of the electron-accepting compound or higher, irradiating visible light including a wavelength corresponding to an absorption band of the colored photochromic compound, to an area including a recording part of the recording layer so as to decolorize, and then heating the area to a temperature lower than the melting point of the electron-accepting compound;
• and
• irradiating ultraviolet light to an area including the recording part so as to color the photochromic compound,
• wherein the optical memory comprises the recording layer above a substrate, and the electron-accepting compound is a Lewis acid compound having a Lewis acid part and a long chain structure part having carbon atoms of 12 or more.

A process for operating an optical memory device, comprising the steps of:

• irradiating ultraviolet light to an area including a recording part of a recording layer of an optical memory device so as to color a photochromic compound contained in the recording layer, and then heating the area to a temperature lower than a melting point of an electron-accepting compound also contained in the recording layer;
• and
• heating the recording layer temporarily to the melting point of the electron-accepting compound or higher, irradiating visible light including a wavelength corresponding to an absorption band of the colored photochromic compound, to an area including the recording part so as to decolorize, and then heating an area including the recording part to a temperature lower than the melting point of the electron-accepting compound,
• wherein the optical memory device comprises the recording layer above a substrate, and the electron-accepting compound is a Lewis acid compound having a Lewis acid part and a long chain structure part having carbon atoms of 12 or more.

A process for operating an optical memory device, comprising the steps of:

• irradiating infrared light to a recording layer of an optical memory device, which contains a photochromic compound and an electron-accepting compound, so as to heat the recording layer temporarily to a melting point of the electron-accepting compound or higher, irradiating visible light including a wavelength corresponding to an absorption band of the colored photochromic compound, to an area including a recording part of the recording layer so as to decolorize, and then irradiating infrared light to the area so as to heat the area to a temperature lower than the melting point of the electron-accepting compound;
• and
• irradiating ultraviolet light to an area including the recording part so as to color the photochromic compound,
• wherein the optical memory device comprises the recording layer above a substrate, at least one of the recording layer and an exothermic layer contains an infrared absorption agent, and the electron-accepting compound is a Lewis acid compound having a Lewis acid part and a long chain structure part having carbon atoms of 12 or more.

A process for operating an optical memory device, comprising the steps of:

• irradiating ultraviolet light to an area including a recording part of a recording layer of an optical memory device so as to color a photochromic compound contained in the recording layer, and then irradiating infrared light to the area so as to heat the area to a temperature lower than a melting point of an electron-accepting compound also contained in the recording layer;
• and
• irradiating infrared light to the recording layer so as to heat the recording layer temporarily to the melting point of the electron-accepting compound or higher, irradiating visible light including a wavelength corresponding to an absorption band of the colored photochromic compound, to an area including the recording part so as to decolorize, and then heating an area including the recording part to a temperature lower than the melting point of the electron-accepting compound,
• wherein the optical memory device comprises the recording layer above a substrate, at least one of the recording layer and an exothermic layer contains an infrared absorption agent, and the electron-accepting compound is a Lewis acid compound having a Lewis acid part and a long chain structure part having carbon atoms of 12 or more.