| 摘要 |
A magneto-optical recording medium has a multi-layer magnetic film structure comprising a reproducing layer, an intermediate layer, and a record holding layer. These layers are magnetically coupled to one another. The recording medium is irradiated with a laser beam and appropriate magnetic fields are provided such that in a area of a spot of the laser beam on the recording medium, first, second and third regions are formed as a result of a temperature distribution within the laser beam spot. The first and third regions act as masking regions, with the second region between the first and third regions being a region from which magnetic signals stored in the record hold layer are transferred to the reproducing layer and are read out from the reproducing layer. In the first embodiment, the magnetic domains of the first and third regions are opposite one another in the reproducing layer. In a second embodiment of the invention, an auxiliary reproducing layer is also provided between the reproducing layer and the intermediate layer. In a third embodiment of the invention, at a high temperature region of the spot the intermediate layer is heated to a temperature not lower than a Curie temperature of the intermediate layer, and the reproducing layer, intermediate layer and record hold layer are formed so as to meet the expression H, + HCA < Hw1 in the reproducible region of the laser spot, where HCA is a coercive force of the reproducing layers or reproducing and auxiliary reproducing layers combined, and Hw2 is a magnetic field created by a magnetic domain wall formed between the reproducing layer and the intermediate layer. In this third embodiment, in the reproducing layer the first and third masking regions within the laser spot have magnetic domains pointed in the same direction. In this thirdembodiment, an initializing magnetic field is not necessary. In a fourth embodiment the reproducing layer is formed of a ferrimagnetic material having a compensation temperature substantially equal to a Curie temperature of the auxiliary reproducing layer which is provided between the record hold layer and reproducing layer. In the fourth embodiment, an intermediate layer as provided between the auxiliary reproducing layer and record layer hold layer. In this fourth embodiment, Carrier to Noise ratio is improved.
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