Phase-change optical recording medium and recording method and apparatus for the same

A recording apparatus for recording information comprising:

• laser beam driving circuit means for carrying out a recording method for optically recording information, using an optical recording medium comprising a phase-change recording layer comprising Sb and Te as essential elements therefor, to which is added at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ag, Au, Cu, Zn, B, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, N, P, Bi, La, Ce, Gd, and Tb, said recording layer being capable of assuming an amorphous phase changed from a crystalline phase by the application of a laser beam thereto, thereby optically recording information by forming recording marks therein, wherein when said recording marks are formed in said optical recording medium, a light emission wave of said laser beam is converted into a recording pulse train comprising a plurality of on-pulses and each off-pulse subsequent to said on-pulses, with a recording frequency ν (ν=1/Tw where Tw is a window width) being continuously changed corresponding to the location of each of said recording marks in the radial direction of said recording medium, either in the direction from an inner circumference towards an outer circumference of said recording medium, or in the direction from the outer circumference towards the inner circumference of said recording medium, said plurality of on-pulses having a pulse width comprising (1) a pulse width portion fixed with an identical time constant (T), and (2) a pulse width portion determined by multiplying said window width (Tw) by a constant,
• signal generation means for generating a signal corresponding to said time constant, and
• signal transmission means for transmitting said signal to said driving circuit means.