Multilayer recordable optical medium with fluorescent reading

A method of recording information, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a multilayer recordable optical medium for writing by writing light and fluorescent reading by reading light, the reading light causing a generation of fluorescent light, the medium comprising a plurality of recordable medium layers layers, each recordable medium layer comprising:
• a substrate that is transparent to the writing light, the reading light, and the fluorescent light;
• and
• an active layer applied onto the substrate;
• wherein the active layer comprises:
• a fluorescing phase comprising at least one luminophore capable of absorbing the reading light and emitting the fluorescent light;
• and
• a quenching phase comprising at least one substance capable of quenching a fluorescence of the at least one luminophore;
• and
• (b) focusing the writing light on a point on one of the active layers on which the information is to be written so as to heat the medium at the point to such a temperature that the fluorescing and quenching phases are irreversibly intermixed.

A method of recording and reproducing information, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a multilayer recordable optical medium for writing by writing light and fluorescent reading by reading light, the reading light causing a generation of fluorescent light, the medium comprising a plurality of recordable medium layers layers, each recordable medium layer comprising:
• a substrate that is transparent to the writing light, the reading light, and the fluorescent light;
• and
• an active layer applied onto the substrate;
• wherein the active layer comprises:
• a fluorescing phase comprising at least one luminophore capable of absorbing the reading light and emitting the fluorescent light;
• and
• a quenching phase comprising at least one substance capable of quenching a fluorescence of the at least one luminophore;
• (b) focusing the writing light on a point on one of the active layers on which the information is to be written so as to heat the medium at the point to such a temperature that the fluorescing and quenching phases are irreversibly intermixed;
• and
• (c) irradiating the reading light on at least a portion of the medium to cause the fluorescing phase to emit the fluorescent light where the fluoresing phase has not been intermixed with the quenching phase.