Recording medium and recording device

Abstract

A recording disk has a surface provided with guide grooves for controlling the position of a recording head, and recording bits formed in the guide grooves for high-density recording. The recording bits have the shape of a tadpole in a plane. The width Ws of the recording bits is greater than the width Wg of the guide grooves. An AFM probe serving as a recording head travels along the guide grooves without running off the guide grooves. When a tip part of the AFM probe coincides with the recording bit, the tip part drops deep into the guide groove, whereby the recording bit is detected.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A recording disk having a surface provided with guide tracks formed at a track pitch less than 0.5 μm, and digital information recording parts formed in the guide grooves.  
     
     
         2 . The recording disk according to    claim 1   , wherein the digital information recording parts have a concave shape.  
     
     
         3 . The recording disk according to    claim 1   , wherein the digital information recording parts have a convex shape.  
     
     
         4 . The recording disk according to    claim 1   , wherein centers of the digital information recording parts coincide with a center of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         5 . The recording disk according to    claim 1   , wherein centers of the digital information recording parts are dislocated from a center of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         6 . The recording disk according to    claim 1   , wherein the digital information recording parts have a depth different from that of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         7 . The recording disk according to    claim 1    to be used in combination with a recording device using techniques relating to probe microscopes.  
     
     
         8 . The recording disk according to    claim 1   , wherein the digital information recording parts have a diameter different from the width of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         9 . The recording disk according to    claim 1   , wherein the guide grooves are discontinuous.  
     
     
         10 . The recording disk according to    claim 1   , wherein the recording disk is formed of a polycarbonate resin.  
     
     
         11 . The recording disk according to    claim 10   , wherein the recording disk has a surface coated with a magnetic material, a magnetooptic material, a phase change material or an organic dye recording material.  
     
     
         12 . The recording disk according to    claim 11   , wherein the recording disk has a surface coated with a protective film.  
     
     
         13 . The recording disk according to    claim 12   , wherein the guide grooves are formed in a spiral.  
     
     
         14 . The recording disk according to    claim 12   , wherein the guide grooves are formed in concentric circles.  
     
     
         15 . A recording device comprising the recording disk according to    claim 9   , and a disk driving mechanism including ball bearings.  
     
     
         16 . A recording device comprising the recording disk according to    claim 9   , and a disk driving mechanism including liquid bearings.  
     
     
         17 . A recording medium comprising a medium having a surface provided with guide grooves for controlling the travel of a probe therein, and digital information recording parts formed in the guide grooves.  
     
     
         18 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein the guide grooves have open ends of 0.5 μm or below in width.  
     
     
         19 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein the guide grooves are arranged at a pitch of 0.5 μm or below.  
     
     
         20 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein the digital information recording parts have a shape concave toward the center of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         21 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein the digital information recording parts have a shape convex toward the center of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         22 . The recording medium according to    claim 1   , wherein centers of the digital information recording parts coincide with a center of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         23 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein centers of the digital information recording parts are dislocated from a center of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         24 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein the digital information recording parts have a depth different from that of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         25 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein the digital information recording parts have a diameter different from the width of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         26 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein the digital information recording parts are formed in the guide grooves.  
     
     
         27 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein the recording medium is formed of a polycarbonate resin.  
     
     
         28 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein the recording medium has a surface coated with a magnetic material, a magnetooptic material, a phase change material or an organic dye recording material.  
     
     
         29 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein 
 the recording medium has a surface coated with a protective film.    
     
     
         30 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein the guide grooves are formed in a spiral.  
     
     
         31 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein the guide grooves are formed in concentric circles.  
     
     
         32 . The recording medium according to    claim 17   , wherein the guide grooves are discontinuous.  
     
     
         33 . A recording medium comprising a disk having a surface provided with guide grooves for guiding a probe supported on a cantilever for traveling along the guide grooves, and digital information recording parts formed in the guide grooves; 
 wherein a laser beam reflected by a back surface of the cantilever opposite a front surface of the same on which the probe is held is measured to determine a dislocation of the probe from the center of the guide groove to control the travel of the probe, a distance of shift of the probe in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the disk caused by each digital information recording part is measured to read the digital information parts.    
     
     
         34 . A recording medium comprising a disk having a surface provided with guide grooves for guiding a probe, and digital information recording parts formed in the guide grooves; 
 wherein the digital information recording parts causes the probe to shift in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the disk.    
     
     
         35 . The recording medium according to    claim 34   , wherein the guide grooves have open ends of 0.5 μm or below in width.  
     
     
         36 . The recording medium according to    claim 34   , wherein the guide grooves are arranged at a pitch of 0.5 μm or below.  
     
     
         37 . The recording medium according to    claim 34   , wherein the digital information recording parts have a shape concave toward the center of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         38 . The recording medium according to    claim 34   , wherein the digital information recording parts have a shape convex toward the center of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         39 . A recording medium comprising a disk having a surface provided with guide grooves of U- or V-shaped cross section for guiding a probe for traveling, and digital information recording parts formed in the guide grooves; 
 wherein the guide grooves and the digital information recording parts differ from each other in width, a lateral force acting on the probe is detected to control the probe so as to be positioned on the center of the guide groove, and a distance of shift of the probe in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the disk caused by each digital information recording part is measured.    
     
     
         40 . The recording medium according to    claim 39   , wherein the guide grooves have open ends of 0.5 μm or below in width.  
     
     
         41 . The recording medium according to    claim 39   , wherein the guide grooves are arranged at a pitch of 0.5 μm or below.  
     
     
         42 . The recording medium according to    claim 39   , wherein the digital information recording parts have a shape concave toward the center of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         43 . The recording medium according to    claim 39   , wherein the digital information recording parts have a shape convex toward the center of the guide grooves.  
     
     
         44 . A recording device comprising the recording medium according to    claim 39   , and a recording medium driving mechanism for driving the recording medium; 
 wherein the recording medium driving mechanism includes ball bearings.    
     
     
         45 . A recording device comprising the recording medium according to    claim 39   , and a recording medium driving mechanism for driving the recording medium; 
 wherein the recording medium driving mechanism includes liquid bearings.