Patent ID: 7659049

Claim:
An information recording medium which comprises a recording layer having the composition of the following formula (1) as the main component: (Sb 1-x Sn x ) 1-y-w-z Ge y Te w M1 z formula (1) wherein each of x, y, z and w represents atomicity, x, z and w are numbers which satisfy 0.15≦x≦0.5, 0≦z≦0.3, y+z+w<0.3, 0.01≦y≦0.3, and 0≦w≦0.1, respectively, and the element M1 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of In, Ga, Pt, Pd, and Ag, wherein the information recording medium utilizes a crystalline state of the recording layer as one recorded state, and an amorphous state formed by locally heating the recording layer to a temperature higher than a melting point and rapidly cooling it, as another recorded state.