Optical recording medium and method

An optical recording medium, including a reflective layer and a recording layer, and constructed in a manner that a recording mark is formed on the recording layer by irradiating a laser beam so as to record information,

• the recording layer being continuously formed in a relative moving direction to the laser beam with plural virtual recording cells, each of which has an arbitrary unit length and a unit width perpendicular to the unit length in the relative moving direction,
• plural-stage irradiation times being so that the irradiation time becomes long successively from the first to final stages, and the laser beam being irradiated to the virtual recording cell in accordance with the irradiation times so that
• recording marks being formed in the virtual recording cell, the recording marks giving plural-stages different optical reflectance to the virtual recording cell and
• in at least one of the plural-stage irradiation times, the irradiated laser beam being irradiated in a state that the case where the laser beam power is large and the case where it is small are alternately continued so that the recording mark is formed.

An optical recording method, which irradiates an laser beam to an optical recording medium including a reflective layer and a recording layer, and forms a recording mark is formed on the recording layer so as to record information, comprising the following stages of:

• continuously forming plural virtual recording cells, each of which has an arbitrary unit length and a unit width perpendicular to the unit length the recording layer being in a relative moving direction to the laser beam with in the relative moving direction;
• setting plural-stage irradiation times with respect to the virtual recording cell so that the irradiation time becomes long successively from the first to final stages;
• setting a laser beam power in at least one irradiation time of the plural-stage irradiation times so as to intermittently become larger than a predetermined threshold value when the laser beam is irradiated to the virtual recording cell;
• and
• forming recording marks being formed in the virtual recording cell, the recording marks giving plural-stages different optical reflectance to the virtual recording cell.

An optical recording method, which irradiates an laser beam to an optical recording medium including a reflective layer and a recording layer, and forms a recording mark is formed on the recording layer so as to record information, comprising the following stages of:

• continuously forming plural virtual recording cells, each of which has an arbitrary unit length and a unit width perpendicular to the unit length in a relative moving direction to the laser beam, in the relative moving direction, with respect to the virtual recording cell;
• setting plural-stage irradiation times so that the irradiation time becomes long successively from the first to final stages, and irradiating the laser beam to the virtual recording cell in accordance with the irradiation times so that
• forming recording marks being formed in the virtual recording cell, the recording marks giving plural-stages different optical reflectance to the virtual recording cell;
• and
• reducing a change speed of optical reflectance of the virtual recording cell in the termination side of the irradiation time in at least one of the plural-stage irradiation times so that the irradiated laser beam being irradiated in a state that the case where the laser beam power is large and the case where it is small are alternately continued so that the recording mark is formed.