Magneto-optical recording medium

A magnetic-optical laminated recording medium comprising:

• a substrate;
• a readable recording layer associated with the substrate and composed of rare-earth-transition metal alloy for providing a triple-loop hysteresis response in response to an applied magnetic field at a first temperature within a curie temperature range of the recording layer, the recording layer having a first magnetizable state recordable at the first temperature of the recording layer and a second magnetizable state recordable at a second temperature lower than the first temperature;
• and
• a ferromagnetic reflection film laminated on the recording layer.

A magneto-optical recording medium comprising:

• a substrate;
• a readable recording layer composed of a rare-earth transition metal film supported by the substrate;
• a first magnetizable state of the recording layer associated with a triple loop hysteresis response, including a central hysteresis loop and outlying hysteresis loops;
• the first magnetizable state recordable in response to the application of a first magnetic field strength, associated with one of said outlying hysteresis loops, at a first temperature within a range of the Curie temperature of the recording layer;
• a second magnetizable state of the recording layer distinguishable from the first magnetizable state and recordable in response to the application of a second magnetic field strength, associated with one of said outlying loops, applied within the range of the Curie temperature;
• said first and second magnetizable states being readable at a reading temperature less than the Curie temperature in accordance with a single loop hysteresis response of the recording layer.