Information recording/reproducing apparatus and method

An information recording/reproducing apparatus that radiates a laser beam to an information recording medium for recording and/or reproducing information, comprising:

• a laser diode for generating said laser beam for recording information to or reproducing information from said information recording medium;
• a converging means for converging said laser beam generated by said laser diode toward said information recording medium;
• a photodetector for receiving the laser beam reflected from said information recording medium;
• a spindle motor for rotatably driving said information recording medium;
• a servo circuit for controlling information recording timing so that a recording area on a track of said information recording medium is followed by another recording area in a partially overlapping manner;
• and
• a laser beam intensity control means for controlling the intensity of said laser beam generated by said laser diode so that said laser beam is radiated to the recording area in which information is at least recorded in an overlapping manner by a first laser power for recording information, a second laser power for erasing information, and a third laser power lower than those of said first laser power and said second laser power.

An information recording/reproducing method comprising the steps of:

• generating a light for recording information to or reproducing information from an information recording medium;
• controlling an information recording timing so that a recording area on a track of said information recording medium is followed by another recording area in a partially overlapping manner;
• and
• controlling the intensity of light so that a first area with information recorded, a second area with information erased, and a third area with information neither recorded nor erased are formed in the recording area in which information is at least recorded in an overlapping manner.