Optical information recording disk having embossed clock mark pits and embossed information recording pits

An optical disk, wherein a plurality of bit information record cells composed of embossed pits or bumps are formed along a track line on a disk substrate, a bit of information is recorded on one of said bit information record cells using a laser optical head, and said bit of information is read by said laser optical head, comprising:

• sets of bit information record cells wherein bit information record cells are arranged along a spiral track line, a mutual distance of every two adjacent bit information record cells being smaller than a diffraction limit of a laser beam emitted from said laser optical head, said diffraction limit being defined by an aperture and a wavelength of said laser beam;
• a recording film at least being formed on each of said bit information record cells;
• clock marks for providing a scanning position of said laser beam, composed of embossed pits or bumps, formed on said track line, each of said clock marks being located remote from said bit information record cells at a distance larger than said diffraction limit;
• and
• track recognition marks arranged along said spiral track line at equiangular positions, each track recognition mark being arranged between two sets of bit information record cells, the number of the track recognition marks being odd per one turn of said spiral track line.

A tracking error detection system for detecting a tracking error from a track line on an optical disk, on which clock marks are arranged in said track line for providing a scanning position of a laser beam emitted from a laser optical head, and track recognition marks arranged in said track line, said track recognition marks being classified as first track recognition marks and second track recognition marks, being arranged alternately, said first track recognition mark and second track recognition mark being detected with a signal amplitude polarity opposite to each other, comprising:

• a detection means for detecting and converting an amount of light from said laser beam which has been reflected from said clock marks and said first and second track recognition marks into an electrical read signal;
• a mark synchronization means for generating a pulse signal at a timing when each of said clock marks is detected by said detection means;
• and
• a tracking error producing means for obtaining first and second tracking error signals from said electrical read signal, said first tracking error signal being produced from the electrical read signal when said first track recognition mark is detected, said second tracking error signal being produced from the electrical read signal when said second track recognition mark is detected;
• wherein each of said first and second track recognition marks consists of a first mark and a second mark, said first and second marks of said first track recognition mark are respectively located inside and outside said spiral track line at said first track recognition mark and said first and second marks of said second track recognition mark are respectively located outside and inside said spiral track line at said second track recognition mark.

A tracking error detection system for detecting a tracking error from a track line on an optical disk, on which clock marks are arranged in said track line for providing a scanning position of a laser beam emitted from a laser optical head, and track recognition marks arranged in said track line, said track recognition marks being classified as first track recognition marks and second track recognition marks, being arranged alternately, said first track recognition mark being and second track recognition mark being detected with a signal amplitude polarity opposite to each other, comprising:

• a detection means for detecting and converting an amount of light from said laser beam which has been reflected from said clock marks and said first and second track recognition marks into an electrical read signal;
• a mark synchronization means for generating a pulse signal at a timing when each of said clock marks is detected by said detection means;
• and
• a tracking error producing means for obtaining first and second tracking error signals from said electrical read signal, said first tracking error signal being produced form the electrical read signal when said first track recognition mark is detected, said second tracking error signal being produced from the electrical read signal when said second track recognition mark is detected;
• further comprising a polarity inversion means for inverting the signal amplitude polarity of said second tracking error signals;
• where in each of said first and second track recognition marks consists of a first mark and a second mark, said first and second marks of said first track recognition mark are respectively located inside and outside said spiral track line at said first track recognition mark and said first and second marks of said second track recognition mark are respectively located outside and inside said spiral track line at said second track recognition mark.