JP2823153B2 - Information recording / reproducing and rewriting method and device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording, reproducing and rewriting method for an information recording apparatus such as an optical disk, and more particularly to a reversible phase change type recording capable of high-speed phase change. Using a film, a simple recording head can record, reproduce and rewrite information with one energy beam spot, and record new information while erasing existing information, so-called overwriting is possible The present invention relates to a method for recording and reproducing information. 2. Description of the Related Art A light beam such as a laser beam is focused on a minute optical spot, and a signal is recorded and reproduced at a high density on a reversible phase-change optical disk medium as an optical recording medium, and the signal is recorded once. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-71 / 1984
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 140, the record of information is:
The light beam spot is sufficiently converged to irradiate the recording film for a short time, and the recording film is completely transformed into an amorphous state by rapid heating and quenching. On the other hand, the recording is erased from the track (guide groove). The recording is performed by gradually heating and slowly cooling using an elliptical light spot that is long in the direction to completely return the recording portion in an amorphous state to the original crystalline state. As described above, two different light beam spots are used for recording and reproduction and for erasing, or a single light beam spot is used as disclosed in JP-A-56-148740. A method has been proposed in which recording is erased by rotating the disk medium many times, and information is recorded in the next one rotation. In order to rewrite the recording by the latter method, the light spot had to pass the same place on the recording film of the disk medium many times. [0003] In the former of the above-mentioned prior arts, two different light beam spots are used, and the two light beam spots are tracked on the same track (guide groove). In such a case, a control system necessary for this becomes complicated, and two light sources are required to form two light beam spots, and there are some practical problems such as a complicated optical system. In addition, in the latter case of the above-mentioned prior art, even when a single light beam spot is used, it is necessary to rotate the disk medium many times when rewriting the recording, and it takes time to rewrite the recording. There was a problem. An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and to use a reversible phase-change type recording film capable of high-speed phase change to record, reproduce and erase information with a simple optical system. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of recording and reproducing information that can be performed and that can be overwritten to record new information while erasing existing information. [0005] In order to achieve the above object of the present invention, the present invention is configured as described in the claims. That is, according to the present invention, in a method for recording / reproducing and rewriting information on an information recording medium by irradiating an energy beam, the power of the energy beam irradiating the recording medium is at least first, Changing between the second and third three levels, the second level being a power level higher than the first level, the third level being a power level higher than the second level, At the time of recording or rewriting information, the power of the energy beam is alternately changed between a second level and a third level,
When the information is not recorded or rewritten, the power is reduced to the first level. At least the second power level among the three power levels is made variable, and the recording medium is a rewritable recording medium. Is set to a height level at which a change opposite to the change caused by irradiation of the third power level occurs, and is set to a low level at which no change occurs in the recording medium in the case of a write-once recording medium in which recording can be performed only once. By using the same device, recording / reproduction and rewriting of recording by overwriting on a rewritable recording medium,
This is a method for recording / reproducing and rewriting information which enables recording and reproduction on a write-once recording medium. Also,
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for recording / reproducing and rewriting information on an information recording medium by irradiating an energy beam, wherein the power of the energy beam irradiating the recording medium is at least a first power and a second power. And third
Where the second level is a power level higher than the first level, the third level is a power level higher than the second level,
When recording or rewriting information, the power of the energy beam is alternately changed between a level lower than the second level and a level higher than the third level. Between the first power level and a power level equal to or higher than the power obtained by adding the difference between the second power level and the third power level to the first power level. To the current that changes the power of the energy beam,
When the energy beam source is driven by an adder circuit for adding a current corresponding to a difference between the first power level and the second power level and recording is performed on the write-once recording medium, the energy level of the first power level is equal to the first power level. By reducing the current level corresponding to the difference between the second power level and the current level to either 0 or 0, the same device can record information on the rewritable recording medium and the write-once recording medium. -A method of recording, reproducing and rewriting information which can be reproduced and rewritten. In addition, the present invention relates to claim 3
In the information recording / reproducing and rewriting method according to claim 2, when recording a medium, a current corresponding to a difference between the first power level and the second power level is described. , The information recording / reproducing and information rewriting method for limiting the current corresponding to the highest power level to a predetermined value or less. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for recording / reproducing and rewriting information on an information recording medium by irradiating the energy beam with an energy beam. Changing between the second and third three levels, the second level being a power level higher than the first level, the third level being a power level higher than the second level, At the time of recording or rewriting of information, the power of the energy beam is alternately changed between the second level and the third level. When not recording or rewriting of information, the power is changed to the first level. At least the second power level among the three power levels is set to the third power level when the recording medium is a rewritable recording medium. By changing the level to a level at which a change opposite to the change due to the irradiation of the bell occurs and to a low level at which no change occurs in the recording medium in the case of a write-once recording medium that can be recorded only once, An information recording / reproducing and rewriting apparatus having means for enabling recording / reproducing and rewriting of recording by overwriting of a rewritable recording medium and recording / reproducing of a write-once recording medium. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in an apparatus for recording / reproducing and rewriting information on an information recording medium by irradiating the energy beam, the power of the energy beam irradiating the recording medium is at least first, Changing between the second and third three levels, the second level being a power level higher than the first level, the third level being a power level higher than the second level, When recording or rewriting information, the power of the energy beam is alternately changed between a level lower than the second level and a level higher than the third level. Shall be reduced to the first level, and the first power level, the second power level and the third power level.
And a power level greater than or equal to the power level obtained by adding the difference between the power level of the energy beam and the current that changes the power of the energy beam in a pulsed manner, and corresponds to the difference between the first power level and the second power level. A driving means for driving the energy beam source by an adding means for adding a current to be applied, wherein when recording on a write-once recording medium, a current corresponding to a difference between the first power level and the second power level is calculated. By reducing the level to either 0 or 0, it is possible to use the same device to record / reproduce and rewrite information on a rewritable recording medium and a write-once recording medium. It is a recording / reproducing and rewriting device. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the information recording / reproducing and rewriting apparatus according to the fifth aspect, when recording on a recording medium, the first power level and the second power level are used. When the level of the current corresponding to the difference with the level has not been lowered,
An information recording / reproducing and rewriting apparatus having means for restricting a current corresponding to a highest power level to a predetermined level or less. The information recording / reproducing method of the present invention uses a reversible phase-change type information recording film of, for example, an In-Se type or Ge-Te type, which can be erased at a high speed. The power of energy beams, such as electron, ion, and ion beams, changes the state of the recording film (phase change)
By varying between a plurality of power levels that can cause Note that, for example, an In—Se-based recording film is a recording film containing at least In and Se, and further containing one or more other elements as necessary. According to the method of the present invention, information can be rewritten (erased and re-recorded) with one energy beam spot while the spot passes through the recording film once. Note that the reproduction level of the rewriting light spot is used only for tracking and automatic focusing, or the power of the reproduction level is set to almost 0 (zero), and signal reproduction, or reproduction, tracking, and automatic focusing are performed by different energy beam spots. May be performed. In the information recording film used in the method of the present invention, a phase change reversibly occurs in the recording film only by changing the power of the energy beam in the same irradiation time, whereby the refractive index, the reflectance, the transmittance, etc. Any film may be used as long as it has a change in optical constants and other physical constants, and has a component composition capable of recording and erasing information. The reversible change of the physical property constant in the recording film used in the method of the present invention is performed by utilizing the state transition of the recording material constituting the recording thin film, the transition between the amorphous state and the crystalline state of the thin film, or The transition between one amorphous state and another amorphous state, or the transition between one crystalline state and another crystalline state can be performed repeatedly. Dislocation is performed stably and reversibly, and a change in a physical property constant occurs reversibly and stably at a high speed. For example, an InSe-based thin film and a Ge-Te-based thin film can be used. . In general, the recording material has a large number of states continuously or discretely between two states, for example, between a completely amorphous state and a completely crystalline (polycrystalline) state. Therefore, if the power of the energy beam is varied between the two levels, 2
A value or digital recording can be performed, and an analog recording or a multi-value recording can be performed if the recording is changed among three or more levels. The method for recording and reproducing information according to the present invention enables so-called overwriting, in which existing information is erased and new information is recorded at that location, so-called overwriting is possible, while the energy beam spot passes through the recording film once. Can be rewritten (erased and re-recorded). For example, first, a disk having an amorphous state on a recording track (between grooves for tracking) and a crystalline state between tracks is rotated, and information is reproduced using one laser or electron beam spot. Eventually, when a place where information is rewritten comes, a plurality of power levels different from the power of the reproduction level (continuous oscillation) (normally, the recording level and the erasing level higher than the reproduction power level, ie, two levels).
(For example, between two power levels), the information is rewritten by changing the power. The recording level and the erasing level were defined as laser powers optimal for recording and erasing, respectively, when the power was continuously maintained. (The reproduction power level is called the first power level because it has the lowest power among these power levels.
The lower of the recording level and the erasing level is the second
The higher power level is referred to as a third power level. In order to realize such a change in laser power, a conventional write-once optical disc is recorded on a waveform in which the power rises in a pulse manner from a reproduction level (first power level) to a recording level (third power level). This can also be realized by superimposing waveforms rising from the reproduction level to the erasure level (second power level) in the area where rewriting is performed (the higher power of both is used as the output power).
By adjusting the power of this overlapping waveform,
A rewritable optical disk and a write-once optical disk can be recorded and reproduced by the same device. When rewriting information by changing the power between two power levels of recording and erasing (the higher one is the third power level and the lower one is the second power level), immediately after the higher power level is set, Once the power is lower than the lower power level, a decrease in the cooling speed due to the residual heat of the recording film can be prevented, which is effective. On the other hand, when a crystalline state is changed to a recording state and an amorphous state is changed to an erased state using, for example, a reversible phase change type recording material, the power (third power level) is lower than the erase level (third power level). When recording is performed at the (second power level), for example, the recording may be performed by lowering the power in a pulsed manner from the erase level. In this case, it is preferable that the above-mentioned pulse-like power reduction is performed such that the power is particularly greatly reduced at the beginning. Thereby, the temperature can be quickly lowered to a temperature suitable for erasing. Also, during erasing, a method that uses a combination of a wavelength change accompanying a mode change due to a change in laser power, a decrease in the amount of high-frequency superposition, a change in the amount of return light, and chromatic aberration of the lens, or a beam deflector or the like is used. Increasing the beam spot on the disk medium by, for example, changing the optical path length and changing the focal position to achieve defocusing has the effect of increasing erasing time and preventing information from being left unerased. In the two or more state transitions of the recording film, it is possible to arbitrarily select which state is to be the recording state or the erasing state. A state having a low rate may be set as a recording state, or may be set as an erasing state. However, it is preferable to shorten the irradiation time of the high-power (third power level) laser beam as much as possible in order to avoid adverse effects such as deformation of the recording film. It is preferable to be in the recording state. In the present invention, when recording is performed using a reversible phase change between the crystal and the amorphous of the recording film, if the recording tracks are made to be in a crystalline state in advance, the recording tracks become uneven during rewriting. Crystallization and generation of noise can be prevented. When the rotation speed of the disk is high, for example, even if an energy beam of a crystallization level is irradiated, the irradiation time of one point on the disk may be so short that complete crystallization may not occur. In this case, the crystallization proceeds when light of the crystallization level is applied again at the time of recording / rewriting, so that the reflectance of the crystallized portion is not constant but varies depending on the location. In such a case, of the crystallized portion, the reflectance of the portion closest to the reflectance of the portion in another state (amorphous state), or the reflectance of this portion and the reflectance of the amorphous portion ( If there is a width, it is preferable that the comparator level is set to a voltage corresponding to an arbitrary reflectance between (reflectivity closest to the crystal state) and the signal voltage in the crystal state is adjusted to a constant value. In this case, a voltage corresponding to the reflectance of the crystalline state closest to the amorphous state and the voltage corresponding to the reflectance of the amorphous state closest to the crystalline state, or an amorphous state closest to the crystalline state. When the comparator level is set to a voltage close to the voltage corresponding to the reflectance of the quality state, reliable reproduction can be performed. However, when the comparator level is set between the above intermediate voltage and the voltage of the crystal state closest to the intermediate voltage, the original waveform is obtained. Can be faithfully reproduced. The shaping may be performed using another waveform shaping device. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the drawings. <Embodiment 1> FIG. 1 is an example of a method for recording, reproducing and erasing information according to the present invention, and is a graph showing a temporal transition of a laser power (mW). First, a recording track of an optical disk medium having a diameter of 130 mm having an In-Se-based recording film on which information can be rewritten by a crystal-amorphous phase change is set to an amorphous state, and a space between the recording tracks is set to a crystalline state. . The recording track may be in a crystalline state. In this case, it is preferable that the recording track has a crystalline state in which the reflectivity is substantially equal to that of the part in the crystalline state of the track on which recording was actually performed. By maintaining a perfect crystalline state between the recording tracks, during recording and rewriting, heat diffuses between the tracks, causing the crystal to gradually crystallize non-uniformly, and the previously recorded information is mixed into the reproduced signal of new information. It is possible to prevent (a kind of remaining disappearance) and noise increase. After the optical disc medium is rotated, automatic focusing and tracking are performed while irradiating a laser beam (continuous light) of a reproduction level (first level) with one light beam spot along a groove-like track. Do. Then, at the same time as the recording rewrite location (A) is reached, the power is increased at once to the power of the crystallization level (the erasing level (second level)). Then, when a new recording location (B) is reached, the power is pulsedly increased to the laser power of the amorphization level (the recording level (third level)). After that, the laser power is reduced to the crystallization level [second level] (C). However, if the cooling rate is likely to be reduced due to the residual heat, the laser power is changed from the amorphization level (third level) to the crystallization level (second level) or lower ([C) to (dashed lines). D)
Then, the laser power is raised (D) to the crystallization level (second level), and the existing information is erased. In this case, the average laser power between (C) and (D) is preferably from level 0 to just below the crystallization level (second level), and a more preferable range is the crystallization level (second level). 1/4 or more and 3/4 of power
It is as follows. Information can be overwritten by repeating the above laser power cycle. For example, assuming that the rotational speed of the disk is 2400 rpm, 1.8
When a carrier wave of MHz is recorded, the bandwidth is 30 kHz.
The measured carrier-to-noise ratio (C / N) was about 50 dB. Next, when rewriting is performed in the same place with a carrier wave of 0.9 MHz, a reproduced signal of 0.9 MHz is obtained.
Its C / N was also about 50 dB. At this time, the laser power at the amorphous level (third level) is about 15 mW, the laser power at the crystallization level (second level) is about 7 mW,
The reproduction level was about 1 mW. In the above-described laser power cycle, recording can be performed even when the level is immediately returned from the amorphization level (third level) to the crystallization level (second level). Is considered to be slightly lower, the C / N of the reproduced signal is slightly increased.
And S / N (signal / noise) may be deteriorated.
Immediately after raising the laser power from the crystallization level (second level) to the amorphization level (third level), recording is performed by adding a peak power for slightly increasing the power as shown by a broken line. Amorphization of the film can be promoted. Even if the magnitude of the peak power is higher than the amorphization level (third level) to the power difference between the amorphization level (third level) and the crystallization level (second level). Good, but not less than 1/4 and 3/4 of the above power difference
The following ranges are more preferred. The light beam spot was defocused during erasing to prevent unerased information. This was performed by using a focusing lens having chromatic aberration and utilizing the fact that the wavelength changes due to a mode change accompanying a change in laser power. If the focus is set during recording, defocus occurs at an erasing power (second power level) lower than the recording power (third power level). Next, FIG. 3 shows an example of the structure of the optical recording / reproducing / erasing apparatus used in the first embodiment. This optical system has almost the same structure as that of an optical system for write-once optical disks which is currently commercially available. However, at the time of recording and erasing, there is a possibility that the reflected light from the recording film 2 becomes large and malfunction occurs. Therefore, only before that, before the reflected light is incident on the automatic focusing detector 16 and the tracking and signal reproducing detector 17. Filter 11
So that the amount of incident light was reduced. Further, the output voltage of the detector may be attenuated only during this period without using a filter. When the rotation speed of the disk is high, the irradiation time at one point on the disk is short, and the disk is not completely crystallized. In this case, when light of the crystallization level is again applied during recording / rewriting, crystallization proceeds, so that the reflectivity of the crystallized portion is not constant and varies depending on the location as shown in FIG. Accordingly, the comparator level was set between the reproduction output voltage when the light of the reproduction level was applied to the amorphous portion and the reproduction output voltage of the crystallized portion where crystallization had not progressed most, and the waveform was shaped. If the comparator level is set between the two or closer to the output voltage of the amorphous part, the certainty of detection will increase, but if the comparator level is set closer to the output voltage of the crystal part than the middle, the reproduced waveform more faithful to the original waveform Is obtained. In addition, when the amorphous point comes at the beginning of the recording area,
First, it is possible that the laser power is increased from the reproduction level (first level) to the amorphous level (third level) without passing through the crystallization level (second level). When the reproduction is performed by another method or another beam spot, the level is first changed from 0 (zero) level to the crystallization level or the amorphization level. Note that any of the crystallization state and the amorphous state may be considered as recording and any of them may be considered as erasing. But,
Since the laser power is higher in the amorphization, it is preferable that the time during which the power is at the amorphization level (third level) is shorter. In an optical disk device currently on the market, a recording pulse is emitted for a shorter time, so that it is preferable to consider amorphization as recording. In this case, the portion for rewriting the laser drive pulse of a commercially available optical disk device is shown in FIG.
As shown in (1), a rewritable optical disk can be used only by improving the current corresponding to the difference between the reproduction level (first level) and the crystallization level (second level). In the case of FIG. 5, since the amorphization level (third level) of the composite waveform becomes too high, the top of the waveform is limited. By lowering the level of the current to be superimposed and, in some cases, setting it to 0 (zero), it is possible to record / reproduce the write-once optical disc with a rewritable optical disc apparatus. In this embodiment mode, if the amorphous state is changed to another crystalline state or the crystalline state is changed to another amorphous state,
The same applies to the amorphous phase change. Second Embodiment FIG. 2 shows another example of a method for recording, reproducing and erasing information according to the present invention, and is a graph showing a temporal transition of laser power (mW). is there. This is an example where the recording level is lower than the erasing level. The recording film and the automatic focusing and tracking method used in the present embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment. First, at the same time as the place (a) to be rewritten comes, the power is raised at once to the power of the erasing level (third level) and is maintained at the same power. During this time, the information has been erased. Then, when a new recording location (b) comes, recording is performed by reducing the power to a laser power of the recording level (second level) in a pulsed manner. At this time, it is possible to sufficiently record even if the power is lowered to the recording level as described above. However, when the power is lowered, the laser power is reduced as shown by a broken line [between (b) and (c)] in FIG. Is greatly reduced once below the recording level, and then slightly raised to return to the recording level, the recording can be performed more reliably by increasing the time at the recordable temperature. The power at the time of lowering the recording level is preferably just below the power of the recording level, and a more preferable range is 1/4 or more and 3/4 or less. Thereafter, the laser power is raised to the erasing level. As shown by the broken line in FIG. 2, the power is once raised above the erasing level (c), and then lowered again to the erasing level (d).
Thus, erasure can be performed reliably. At this time (c) ~
The average power during (d) is larger than the erasing level, and the power of the erasing level may be added up to the power difference between the erasing level and the recording level.
1/4 or more of the power difference between the erase level and the recording level, 3
A power of / 4 or less is more preferable. Further, the method for preventing the remaining unerased information is performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and the recording, reproduction, and erasure of the information in the present embodiment use the optical system shown in FIG. 3 in the first embodiment. I went. In this embodiment, FIG. 6A shows a change in laser power when performing multi-level recording, and FIG. 6B shows a reproduced waveform. This is an example in which the recording state is ternary, but multi-level recording can be performed by increasing the number of levels, and analog recording can be performed by continuously changing the level. However, since the relationship between the change in the power level and the change in the reproduction voltage is usually not linear, conversion of at least one of the recording waveform and the reproduction waveform is necessary to obtain a desired reproduction waveform. As described above in detail, the information recording / reproducing method according to the method of the present invention can be performed by a reversible phase-change type optical disk medium capable of high-speed erasing or other irradiation power level changes only. When a recording medium capable of recording and erasing is used, it is possible to quickly and reliably rewrite new information while erasing existing information with one beam spot using a simple system.
Further, the irradiation beam used is not limited to a light beam, and an energy beam such as an electron beam or an ion beam can be used. In addition, the recording medium is not limited to a disk, but may be in another form such as a tape or a card. It is applicable to recording media, and its industrial value is extremely large.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a graph showing a temporal transition of a laser power exemplified in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a graph showing a temporal transition of laser power exemplified in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows an optical recording exemplified in the first embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a reproducing and erasing device. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a reproduced signal waveform exemplified in the first embodiment of the present invention and a waveform shaping method. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a rewrite waveform synthesizing method exemplified in the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the principle of multi-level recording exemplified in the second embodiment of the present invention. [Description of Signs] 1 ... optical disk substrate 2 ... phase change type recording film 3 ... protective film 4 ... aperture lens 5 ... galvanometer mirror 6 ... 1/4 wavelength plate 7 ... polarizing prism 8 ... prism 9 ... coupling lens 10 ... semiconductor Laser 11 Filter 12 Convex lens 13 Half mirror 14 Cylindrical lens 15 Knife edge 16 Detector 17 for automatic focusing 17 Detector for tracking and signal reproduction

Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Noriyoshi Horigo 1-280 Higashi-Koikekubo, Kokubunji-shi, Tokyo Inside Hitachi, Ltd. Central Research Laboratory (72) Inventor Norio Ota 1-1280 Higashi-Koikekubo, Kokubunji-shi, Tokyo Inside Hitachi, Ltd. Central Research Laboratory (56) References JP-A-62-259229 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G11B 7/00 G11B 7/125

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A method for recording, reproducing and rewriting information on an information recording medium by irradiating an energy beam, wherein the power of the energy beam irradiating the recording medium is changed at least among first, second and third levels. The second level is a power level higher than the first level, the third level is a power level higher than the second level, and the power of the energy beam is equal to the power of the energy beam when recording or rewriting information. Level 2 and 3
And when the information is not recorded or rewritten, the power is reduced to the first level, and at least the second power level among the three power levels is changed. When the recording medium is a rewritable recording medium, it is set to a height level at which a change opposite to the change due to the irradiation of the third power level occurs, and when the write-once recording medium can be recorded only once. By setting the recording medium at a low level that does not change, it is possible to perform recording / reproduction and rewriting of recording by overwriting on a rewritable recording medium and recording and reproduction of a write-once recording medium with the same device. A method for recording / reproducing and rewriting information characterized by the following. 2. A method for recording, reproducing and rewriting information on an information recording medium by irradiating an energy beam, wherein the power of the energy beam irradiating the recording medium is changed at least among first, second and third levels. The second level is a power level higher than the first level, the third level is a power level higher than the second level, and the power of the energy beam is equal to the power of the energy beam when recording or rewriting information. The level is changed alternately between a level lower than the second level and a level higher than the third level. When information is not recorded or rewritten, the power is lowered to the first level. Power level, and the second and third power levels
And a power level greater than or equal to the power level obtained by adding the difference between the power level of the energy beam and the current that changes the power of the energy beam in a pulsed manner, and corresponds to the difference between the first power level and the second power level. When the energy beam source is driven by an adder circuit for adding a current to be recorded, and recording is performed on the write-once recording medium, a current level corresponding to the difference between the first power level and the second power level is set to:
Recording or reproducing information on a rewritable recording medium and a write-once recording medium with the same apparatus by setting either the value to 0 or to 0 to record information. -Reproduction and rewriting methods. 3. In the information recording / reproducing and rewriting method according to claim 2, when recording a medium, when a current corresponding to a difference between the first power level and the second power level is added, A method for recording / reproducing and rewriting information, wherein a current corresponding to a highest power level is limited to a predetermined value or less. 4. An apparatus for recording / reproducing and rewriting information on an information recording medium by irradiating an energy beam, wherein the power of the energy beam irradiating the recording medium is changed at least among first, second and third levels. The second level is a power level higher than the first level, the third level is a power level higher than the second level, and the power of the energy beam is equal to the power of the energy beam when recording or rewriting information. Level 2 and 3
And when the information is not recorded or rewritten, the power is reduced to the first level, and at least the second power level among the three power levels is changed. On the other hand, when the recording medium is a rewritable recording medium, the third power level is set to a level at which a change opposite to the change caused by the irradiation occurs, and when the recording medium is a write-once recording medium that can perform recording only once, the recording medium is used. Having a means that enables recording / reproduction and rewriting of recording by overwriting on a rewritable recording medium and recording and reproduction of a write-once recording medium with the same device by setting the level to a low level at which no change occurs. An information recording / reproducing and rewriting apparatus characterized by the following. 5. An apparatus for recording / reproducing and rewriting information on an information recording medium by irradiating an energy beam, wherein the power of the energy beam irradiating the recording medium is changed at least among first, second and third levels. The second level is a power level higher than the first level, the third level is a power level higher than the second level, and the power of the energy beam is equal to the power of the energy beam when recording or rewriting information. The level is changed alternately between a level lower than the second level and a level higher than the third level. When information is not recorded or rewritten, the power is lowered to the first level. Power level, and the second and third power levels
And a power level greater than or equal to the power level obtained by adding the difference between the power level of the energy beam and the current that changes the power of the energy beam in a pulsed manner, and corresponds to the difference between the first power level and the second power level. A driving means for driving the energy beam source by an adding means for adding a current to be applied, wherein when recording on a write-once recording medium, a current corresponding to a difference between the first power level and the second power level is calculated. By setting the level to either lower or zero, it is necessary to have means for enabling recording / reproducing and rewriting of information on the rewritable recording medium and the write-once recording medium with the same device. An information recording / reproducing and rewriting device. 6. 7. The information recording / reproducing and rewriting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a level of a current corresponding to a difference between said first power level and said second power level is not reduced when recording on a recording medium. An information recording / reproducing and rewriting apparatus characterized in that the information recording / reproducing and rewriting apparatus has means for limiting a current corresponding to a highest power level to a predetermined level or less.