Information recording medium, its manufacturing method, and sputtering target

An information recording medium (excluding one comprising a noble metal oxide layer of which main component is an oxide of noble metal) whereon information can be recorded by applying light or electrical energy, which comprises at least a recording layer which can undergo phase change (excluding the recording layer comprising Au, Ga, In, Zr or Mg), wherein:

• the recording layer comprises at least one element selected from among Si and C, and Sb in total proportion of 85 atomic % or more,
• the recording layer does not comprise Te when the recording layer comprises Si, and
• the recording layer comprises a material represented by a formula (3):
• Sb100-a3Sia3(atomic %) (3)
• wherein a3 represents a proportion in terms of atomic %, and satisfies a relationship of 0<a3≦30.

An information recording medium (excluding one comprising a noble metal oxide layer of which main component is an oxide of noble metal) whereon information can be recorded by applying light or electrical energy, which comprises at least a recording layer which can undergo phase change (excluding the recording layer comprising Au, Ga, In, Zr or Mg), wherein:

• the recording layer comprises at least one element selected from among Si and C, and Sb in total proportion of 85 atomic % or more,
• the recording layer does not comprise Te when the recording layer comprises Si, and
• the recording layer comprises a material represented by a formula (4):
• Sb100-a4Ca4(atomic %) (4)
• wherein a4 represents a proportion in terms of atomic %, and satisfies a relationship of 0<a4≦50.

An information recording medium (excluding one comprising a noble metal oxide layer of which main component is an oxide of noble metal) whereon information can be recorded by applying light or electrical energy, which comprises at least a recording layer which can undergo phase change (excluding the recording layer comprising Au, Ga, In, Zr or Mg), wherein:

• the recording layer comprises at least one element selected from among Si and C, and Sb in total proportion of 85 atomic % or more,
• the recording layer does not comprise Te when the recording layer comprises Si, and
• the recording layer comprises a material represented by a formula (5):
• Sb100-a5(SiC)a5(mol %) (5)
• wherein a5 represents a proportion in terms of atomic %, and satisfies a relationship of 0<a5≦30.

An information recording medium (excluding one comprising a noble metal oxide layer of which main component is an oxide of noble metal) whereon information can be recorded by applying light or electrical energy, which comprises at least a recording layer which can undergo phase change (excluding the recording layer comprising Au, Ga, In, Zr or Mg), wherein:

• the recording layer comprises at least one element selected from among Si and C, and Sb in total proportion of 85 atomic % or more,
• the recording layer does not comprise Te when the recording layer comprises Si,
• the recording layer further comprises at least one element selected from among Ge, Ag, Sn, Te and Bi, and
• the recording layer comprises a material represented by a formula (6):
• Sb100-a6-b6M1a6M2b6(atomic %) (6)
• wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from among Si and C, M2 represents at least one element selected from among Ge, Ag, Sn, Te and Bi, and a6 and b6 represent proportions in terms of atomic %, and satisfy relationships of 0<a6≦50 and 0<b6≦15.