Patent ID: 6949302

Claim:
A magneto-optical recording medium comprising at least a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer and a third magnetic layer, which are layered in this order and so the second magnetic layer is directly disposed on the first magnetic layer, wherein: said first magnetic layer is formed of a perpendicularly magnetized film having a relatively small wall coercivity and a relatively large wall mobility compared with the third magnetic layer in the vicinity of a predetermined temperature, where the magnetic wall coercivity at room temperature of the first magnetic layer is less than or equal to 32 kA/m, wherein when a light beam whose intensity is controlled to be a predetermined intensity for reproducing a signal is emitted onto the magneto-optical recording medium while the light beam being moved relatively with respect to the magneto-optical recording medium, said first magnetic layer is composed so as to be characterized as having exhibits a larger magnetic wall coercivity at a rear part of the light beam spot than a front part of the light beam spot and so as to restrict movement of a domain wall located beyond the light beam spot rear part from moving into the light beam rear spot, and wherein the first magetic layer a compensation temperature of not higher than its Curie temperature and not lower than a Curie temperature of the second magnetic layer, and so as to restrict movement of the domain wall located beyond the light beam spot rear part when the magneto-optical recording medium is heated to a vicinity of its compensation temperature with application of the light beam for reproducing a signal.