JPH01251340A - Information recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the information recording medium having excellent recording and erasing characteristics by adopting a specific compsn. for the average compsn. of the recording layer thereof. CONSTITUTION:This recording medium is constituted of a substrate 12, the recording layer 13 and an org. protective layer 14. The average compsn. of the recording layer 13 is composed of (InxSb100-x)aChbMc. In the formula, Ch is the chalcogen element selected from Se, Te and S; M is the metal selected from Pd and Au; 50atomic%<=a<100atomic%, 0atomic%<=b<50atomic%, 0atomic%<=c<30atomic%, 10atomic%<=x<80atomic%. The alloy consisting of the In and Sb among the constituting components is the alloy which absorbs light pulses, easily changes from the amorphous to crystalline phase and has an extremely large change rate of optical properties. The information recording medium which has the good recording and erasing characteristics and sufficiently withstands practicable use is thereby obtd.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Objective of the Invention] (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention is capable of recording information by causing a change in optical properties due to a change in atomic arrangement in a recording layer by irradiation with a light beam. The present invention relates to an information recording medium in which information is reproduced by repeatedly erasing and detecting changes in optical characteristics.

(Prior Art) Information recording media that utilize phase change caused by irradiation with a light beam have been developed as information recording media on which information can be repeatedly recorded and erased.

When recording information on such an information recording medium, first, the entire surface of the recording medium is irradiated with a light beam to bring the recording layer into a highly crystalline state (hereinafter referred to as a crystalline state). Next, in order to record information, the recording layer is irradiated with short, strong pulsed light to heat it and rapidly cool it, thereby bringing the recording layer into a state in which the atomic arrangement is disordered (hereinafter referred to as an amorphous state). When erasing recorded information, the recording layer is irradiated with a long weak pulse of light to heat it and slowly cool it to return it from an amorphous state to a crystalline state. Optical properties such as reflectance and transmittance change between the crystalline state and the amorphous state due to changes in atomic arrangement, so by detecting changes in these optical properties, recorded information can be analyzed. It's playing.

Information recording media that utilize such phase change include Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-179952 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-179953.
No. 61-6806, etc. In these publications, the composition of the recording layer is Au x Te +
oo-x + Ag x Ta 1oo-x (10≦
X≦40 atomic %), etc. have been proposed.

However, although these materials provide stability in the recording state, problems remain in terms of recording and erasing characteristics because the energy required for recording is large.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As detailed above, the conventional AuxTe+. . -8°Ag
Information recording media using x Te 100-X (10≦X≦40) as a material have drawbacks such as slow crystallization speed and poor erasing characteristics.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and provide an information recording medium with excellent recording and erasing characteristics.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means and Effects for Solving the Problems) The information recording medium of the present invention has a recording layer having an average composition of (I n , Sb +00-1) a
ChbMc where Ch is a chalcogen element selected from Se, Te, and S. M is a metal selected from Pd and Au. 50 atomic%≦a<100 atomic% 0 atomic%≦b 50 atomic% 0 atomic% It is characterized in that ≦c<30 atom%, 10 atom%≦x, and 80 atom%.

Among the constituent components, an alloy consisting of In and sb absorbs pulsed light, easily changes from amorphous to crystalline, and has a very large change in optical properties (reflectance, transmittance). . The composition range of In at this time is 10 at% to 80 at%
A range of 1 is preferable, and a sufficient amount of optical change cannot be obtained in other ranges. That is, in order to obtain a high change in reflectance between crystalline and amorphous materials, this composition range is required.

Further, the alloy consisting of In and sb is a main component of the recording layer that causes a change in the atomic arrangement, and in order to cause this change, it is desirable to contain it in an amount of 50 atomic % or more. In other words, if the content of the elements represented by Ch and M below is 50 atomic % or more, InS
This hinders the optical change of the alloy consisting of b.

Further, the chalcogen elements Se, Te, and S represented by Ch can stably maintain an amorphous state by alloying with an alloy consisting of InSb.

Furthermore, elements such as Pd and Au represented by M have effects such as increasing the crystallization rate and improving sensitivity.

A sectional view showing the structure of the information recording medium used in the present invention is shown in FIG.

The information recording medium of the present invention includes a substrate 12. It is composed of a recording layer 13 and an organic protective layer 14.

The substrate 12 is made of glass or plastic material (eg, polymethyl methacrylate resin, polycarbonate resin, etc.). A recording layer 13 is formed on this substrate 12, which undergoes a layer change upon irradiation with a light beam.

The average composition of this recording layer 13 is (I nz S b
100-*) aChbMc, where Ch is Se,
Chalcogen element selected from Te, S, M is P
d, a metal selected from Au, and each of a, b,
c is 50 atom%≦a 100 atom%, 0 atom%≦b50 atom%, 0 atom%≦c<30 atom%, 10 atom%≦
The range is x<80 atomic %. Furthermore, this recording layer 13
An organic protective layer 14 made of ultraviolet curing resin or the like is formed thereon.

Furthermore, the information recording medium used in the present invention may have a structure as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In the information recording medium shown in FIG. 2, in order to prevent the recording layer 13 from deteriorating over time, oxides, fluorides, sulfides,
The recording layer 13 is sandwiched between an inorganic protective layer 15 made of nitride or the like. Further, in the information recording medium shown in FIG. 3, the recording layer 1 is included in the material forming the inorganic protective layer 15.
It has a structure having a composite layer 16 in which the material forming 3 is dispersed.

Next, a method for manufacturing an information recording medium will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a side view of the film forming apparatus used in the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the film forming apparatus shown in FIG.

This film forming apparatus includes a vacuum container 17. Discharge boat 18, exhaust device 19. Gas introduction boat 20. Argon gas cylinder 2
1. Support device 22. Sputter [24a*24b
, 24c and motor device 26a.

It is composed of 26b and 26c. The vacuum vessel 17 is connected to an exhaust device 19 via an exhaust boat 18, and is also connected to an argon gas cylinder 21 via a gas introduction boat 20. A support device 22 is provided at the upper middle of the vacuum container 17, and the substrate 12 is horizontally mounted on this support device.
is supported, and the substrate 12 can rotate around the support device 22. Furthermore, sputtering sources 24a, 24b, and 24c are provided at the bottom of the vacuum chamber 17, facing the substrate 12, and a high frequency power source is connected to these sputtering sources. Also, a sputtering source 24a.

Above 24b and 24c is a monitor device 26a.

26b and 26c are installed.

When forming a recording layer on the substrate 12 using this apparatus, first the air in the container is exhausted by the exhaust device 19, and then argon gas is introduced from the argon gas cylinder 21 to bring the inside of the container to a predetermined pressure. Hold. Then, while rotating the substrate 12, power is applied to the sputtering sources 24a, 24b, and 24c for a predetermined period of time. Monitor devices 26a, 26b, 26
c monitors the amount of element sputtered from each sputtering source, and adjusts the power input to each sputtering source so that the monitored amount becomes a predetermined value. As a result, a recording layer is formed on the substrate 12.

(Example) Experiment 1 - In this experiment, a recording film was formed by a multi-source simultaneous sputtering method.

Desired I n , Sb 4. in a vacuum container. and Te and C
A sputtering source of 8 x 10-'To
Exhausted to rr. Next, introduce Ar gas and 4X10-'
The total pressure was adjusted to Torr. A thoroughly cleaned disk-shaped carbonate substrate with an outer diameter of 1301 Bm and a plate thickness of 1.2 mm was used as the substrate, and while this substrate was rotated at 60 rpa+, sputtering of each element was monitored using a monitor, and the sputtering was fed into each sputtering source. The total film thickness is 1.
A recording layer was formed by depositing each element until it reached 000 Angstroms.

Furthermore, an ultraviolet curable resin was overcoated as an organic protective layer on this recording layer to a thickness of about 10 μm using a spin coater, and was cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays to form an information recording medium having a desired composition.

Experiment 2 - Here, changes in atomic arrangement due to light beam irradiation of the recording film were confirmed.

In Experiment 1, the sputtering source was In, ssb <5, and T.
Using e and Au, the recording layer composition is (I n ssS b 45) 5sTe +oAu
A sample named s was formed (unirradiated area). When this sample was irradiated with 5n+W 10 μs pulsed light focused to a beam diameter of 1 μm, the reflectance of the irradiated area changed (unrecorded area). Next 1
It was confirmed that when pulsed light of 5 mW and 100 ns was applied several times, the reflectance of the irradiated area returned to its original value (recording area). Next, in order to compare the crystalline state of the unrecorded area and the recorded area, the diffraction pattern was observed using a transmission electron microscope. When the protective layer was peeled off from the sample and the state of the recording layer was observed from a diffraction pattern, a halo pattern characteristic of amorphous materials was observed in the areas not irradiated with laser light. Furthermore, in the unrecorded part of the laser beam irradiated part, diffraction rings and spots indicating a crystal structure were observed, and in the recorded part, a halo pattern peculiar to a non-crystalline structure near the unirradiated part was observed. Similar changes in the reflectance change 1 diffraction pattern were observed for recording layers with other compositions.

1. Experiment 3 - In this experiment, the erasing characteristics of the recorded portion were evaluated. Recording layer composition is (In 50S b so) 7oTe 3
0 at Te1. :A sample was prepared in which Au was added at a ratio of 5.10.20 atomic%.

The recording layer was crystallized by applying pulsed light of 5 raW and 5 μs to this sample until the reflectance became constant. In FIG. 6, the number of pulsed light irradiations until the reflectance becomes constant is plotted against the amount of Au added. It was confirmed that the larger the amount of Au added, the more the change occurred even if the number of irradiations was small. That is, A
It was confirmed that by adding u, it was possible to increase the crystallization rate and improve the sensitivity.

Further, similar effects can be obtained even when Pd is added instead of Au.

1 Experiment 4- In this experiment, we used a practical test device.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the apparatus used in the test. This test equipment consists of a spindle motor 32 degrees, a semiconductor laser source 34. Collimator lens 35. Beam splitter 36. λ/4 plate 37. Objective lens 38, detection lens 39. Light receiver 40.
It is composed of a drive coil 41 and a servo system 42.

The sample 31 is fixed on a spindle motor 32 and can be rotated.

The light emitted from the semiconductor laser [34 is the collimator lens 3
5 and becomes parallel light. Next, the light passes through the beam splitter 36, passes through the λ/4 plate 3, and passes through the objective lens 38.
The light is focused onto the sample 31. The light reflected from the sample 31 passes through the objective lens 38 and the λ/4 plate 3 and the metal plate 7, and is reflected by the beam spotting vine 36. This reflected light is collected by the detection lens 39, enters the light receiver 40, and becomes a detection signal. Further, the detection signal is converted into an electric current through a servo system 42, which flows through a drive coil 41, which drives an objective lens to accurately focus the light onto the groove (guide groove) on the sample 31 in which information is recorded. Ru.

Using the method shown in Experiment 1, both sides of the recording layer were
A sample of the medium sandwiched between the two layers (film thickness: 1000 Angstroms) was prepared, mounted in the above-mentioned apparatus, and an experiment was conducted.

The recording layer composition is (In sos b so) yoTe
In SO, 5.11.18 atomic % of Pd was added to Te. This sample was fixed on a spindle motor and
Rotated at rpm.

Further, pulsed light of 5iW and 15 μs was irradiated from above, and the amount of change in reflectance was measured. In FIG. 8, the value obtained by dividing the amount of change by the initial value (contrast ratio) and the amount of Pd added are plotted. It can be seen that the contrast ratio increases by adding Pd. Further, similar effects can be obtained even when Au is added instead of Pd.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an information recording medium that has good recording and erasing characteristics and is sufficiently durable for practical use.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 3 are cross-sectional views showing the layer structure of the information recording medium used in the present invention, FIG. 4 is a side view of the film forming apparatus, and FIG.
The figure is a bottom view of the film forming apparatus, Figure 6 is a graph showing the amount of Au added and the number of irradiations, Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a practical recording device, and Figure 8
The figure is a graph showing the amount of Pd added and the contrast ratio. 12...Substrate 13...Recording layer Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 zba Fig. 5 Fig. 0 to 20 ALL addition amount ζα-'ez) Fig. 6 O1020 T't Force q transition [ (Fig. 7)

Claims (1)

[Claims] An information recording medium having a recording layer in which the atomic arrangement changes when irradiated with a light beam, wherein the average composition of the recording layer is (In_xSb_1_0_0_-_x)aChbMc, where Ch is selected from among Se, Te, and S. The selected chalcogen element M is a metal selected from Pd and Au. 50 atom%≦a<100 atom% 0 atom%≦b<50 atom% 0 atom%≦c<30 atom% 10 atom%≦x< An information recording medium characterized in that the content is 80 atomic %.