OPTICAL RECORDING MEDIUM CAPABLE OF PERFORMING RECORDING/REPRODUCING OPERATIONS AND OPTICAL RECORDING METHOD THEREOF

摘要

PURPOSE: An optical recording medium capable of performing recording/reproducing operations is provided to apply a buffering layer to be recordable, thereby increasing productivity as well as lowering costs without using an expensive organic pigment. CONSTITUTION: A substrate(10) has a pre-groove for guiding a beam while recording. A thin metal film(20) is formed on the substrate(10). A buffering layer(30) and a reflective layer(40) are sequentially accumulated on the thin metal film(20). A protecting layer is additionally accumulated. A laser beam condensed while recording heats the thin metal film(20). The heat is transmitted to the substrate(10) and the buffering layer(30). Portions of the substrate(10) neighboring to the heated thin metal film(20) are transformed by thermal expansion. The heated part of the thin metal film(20) is expanded toward the buffering layer(30).