Overwrite-capable magnetooptical recording medium allowing enlarged margin of high level beam intensity

An overwrite-capable magneto-optical recording medium comprising:

• a first layer consisting of perpendicularly magnetizable magnetic film functioning as a memory layer;
• a second layer consisting of perpendicularly magnetizable magnetic film functioning as a writing layer;
• a third layer consisting of perpendicularly magnetizable magnetic film functioning as a switching layer;
• a fourth layer consisting of perpendicularly magnetizable magnetic film functioning as an initializating layer, said first to fourth layers being sequentially stacked;
• and
• a thermal diffusion layer adjacent to said fourth layer, said thermal diffusion layer being made of nonmagnetic metal,
• wherein said first and second layers are exchangecoupled, a direction of magnetization of only said second layer is aligned in a predetermined direction without changing a direction of magnetization of said first layer at a room temperature, and said second layer and said fourth layer are exchange-coupled through said third layer at a temperature equal to or less than a Curie temperature of said third layer.