Optical disk having intertrack heat conduction suppression

Abstract

To increase the track density, that is, to improve the recording density of the optical disk of ultra-high resolving power reproduction type, grooves 4 are formed in a transparent substrate 2; phase pits 1 are formed on groove bottom portions 5 and land portions 6 of the grooves; and further a material layer 3 is laminated. A polycarbonate substrate is used as the transparent substrate 2. The material layer 3 is formed of such a material that the state is partially changed due to heat of the reading light in the optical spot of the reading light but returned to the original state after the reading light has passed, and in addition the reflection factor of the material is changeable according to the state change. The material layer 3 is a ternary compound of Ge.sub.2 Sb.sub.2 Te.sub.3. The thermal conductivity of the transparent substrate 2 is smaller than that of the material layer 3. The temperature of the material layer 3 rises in the laser spot according to the light intensity distribution of the laser, so that the reflection factor changes partially to enable data read operation. The heat conduction suppression due to the presence of the stepped portions of the grooves 4 sharpens the temperature gradient, so that the range in which the reflection factor is increased due to the state change of the material layer 3 can be reduced, thus decreasing the track interval distance and thereby increasing the track density.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.