Patent ID: 7944802

Claim:
A super-resolution optical recording medium comprising: a substrate, a recording layer formed on the substrate, and a light transmission layer on the recording layer, wherein recording marks which have a size of a resolution limit of a reproduction optical system or less and can be reproduced by the reproduction optical system are formed in the recording layer by irradiating a recording laser beam as a deformation in the thickness direction caused by volume change of the recording layer, and wherein at least a minimum recording mark of the recording marks are formed in a condition that a diameter of a beam spot of the recording laser beam is approximately 480 nm, and the recording layer and a range of a power of the recording laser beam are so as to form the minimum recording mark in a modulation signal in an AFM (atomic force microscope) image of takes the shape of a convex arc on a leading edge thereof and the shape of a concave arc on a trailing edge thereof, the AFM image being a plan view which can be observed on a surface when deform parts by volume change in the recording layer is substantially exposed to the environment when the light transmission layer is removed.