Patent ID: 7227827

Claim:
An optical information recording apparatus for recording information on an optical information recording medium, the recording medium having an information recording layer made of a magneto-optic recording material, information being recorded in the information recording layer in the form of a three-dimensional distribution pattern of magnetization through the use of holography, the apparatus comprising: information light generation means for generating information light that carries information; recording-specific reference light generation means for generating recording-specific reference light; a recording optical system for irradiating the information recording layer with the information light generated by the information light generation means and the recording-specific reference light generated by the recording-specific reference light generation means, so that a three-dimensional interference pattern resulting from interference between the information light and the recording-specific reference light is formed in the information recording layer; and magnetic field application means for applying, to the information recording layer, a magnetic field for changing the three-dimensional distribution pattern of magnetization in the information recording layer according to the interference pattern.