Method for laser recording using zeroth order light and heat deformable medium

Claim 1

In a method of information recording including the steps of generating a beam of laser light having a plurality of oscillation wave lengths, and modulating said laser light by acousto-optical diffraction in accordance with an input information signal to produce diffracted, relatively low energy first order light and relatively high energy zeroth order light, said zeroth order light comprising undiffracted light and undiffractable light, the improvement comprising: (a) employing a heat sensitive recording material having a threshold deformation level, (b) optically directing said zeroth order light against the surface of said recording material, whereby said zeroth order light is employed as the information recording signal, and (c) preheating with said undiffractable light the recording material at the position where the information is to be recorded next, the intensity of said undiffractable light not being greater than said threshold deformation level.