Information recording medium and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

An information recording medium having such a recording material layer on a substrate where reversible phase change between electrically or optically detectable states can be caused by electric energy or electromagnetic energy. The recording material forming the recording layer is either a material having a crystal structure including lattice defects in one phase of the reversible phase change or a material having a complex phase composed of a crystal portion including a lattice defect in one phase of the reversible phase change and an amorphous portion. Both portions contain a common element. A part of the lattice defects are filled with an element other than the element constituting the crystal structure. The recording medium having a recording thin film exhibits little variation of the recording and reproduction characteristics even after repetition of recording and reproduction, excellent weatherability, strong resistance against composition variation, and easily controllable characteristics.

1 - 23 . (canceled)  
     
     
         24 . A method for manufacturing an information recording medium having a recording material layer on a substrate, where reversible phase change between electrically or optically detectable states is caused by electric energy or electromagnetic energy, wherein 
 the recording layer is formed by using a recording material in which one phase of the reversible phase change comprises a lattice defect, and at least a part of the defect is filled with an additional element.    
     
     
         25 . The method for manufacturing an information recording medium according to  claim 24 , wherein after formation of the recording layer an element comprising the crystal lattice is deposited outside the lattice by the additional element.  
     
     
         26 . The method for manufacturing an information recording medium according to  claim 24 , wherein the recording layer is formed by sputtering, and a sputtering target used in the sputtering comprises an element constituting the crystal structure and the additional element.  
     
     
         27 . The method for manufacturing an information recording medium according to  claim 26 , wherein a gas used in the sputtering comprises at least one gas selected from N 2  gas and O 2  gas.