Patent ID: 8097323

Claim:
An optical recording medium for performing super resolution reproduction comprising: a five-layered structure consisting of a signal reproducing functional layer, two diffusion preventing layers, and two protecting layers, the five-layered structure being supported on a substrate having recording pits preliminarily formed, wherein the signal reproducing functional layer is sandwiched between the two diffusion preventing layers, the diffusion preventing layers and the signal reproducing functional layer are sandwiched between the two protecting layers, the signal reproducing functional layer contains Sb or Te, each of the protecting layers contains ZnS, and each of the diffusion preventing layers is comprised of a nitride, or an oxide, or a carbide of an element from a group consisting of Ge, Zr, Ce, Cr, Si, Al, Ti and Ta, said diffusion preventing layers being able to prevent or suppress reaction between the signal producing functional layer and the protecting layers due to temperature increase in the signal reproducing functional layer.