Optical recording coating

Claim 1

An optical recording coating for recording data, comprising: a cermet optical storage layer disposed on a substrate, the layer comprising metal particles dispersed in a solid dielectric matrix, the metal particles comprising a first material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, nickel, copper, platinum, palladium, rhodium and combinations thereof, the dielectric comprising a second material selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , TiO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , ZnO, ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 , CdO, Si 3 N 4 , TiN and other transition metal nitrides and combinations thereof, the layer being constructed and dimensioned such that its reflectance towards a fixed point substantially changes subsequent to being illuminated by high powered light such that information can be stored in the layer by selectively illuminating the layer with the high powered light, the layer being selectively illuminated with the high powered light.

Claim 23

A method of forming an optical recording coating, comprising the steps of: disposing a target comprising a first material in a sputtering chamber; disposing a substrate to be coated within the chamber, the substrate comprising a polymer; injecting an inert gas into the chamber; injecting at least one further gas into the chamber; creating an electric potential between the target and an anode of sufficient strength to ionize the inert gas; the first material and the at least one further gas being selected so as to form a cermet optical storage layer on the substrate when the electric potential is created, the layer comprising metal particles disposed in a solid dielectric matrix, the metal particles comprising a second material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, nickel, copper, platinum, palladium, rhodium and combinations thereof, the dielectric comprising a third material selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , TiO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , ZnO, ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 , CdO, Si 3 N 4 , TiN and other transition metal nitrides and combinations thereof.

Claim 24

A method of forming an optical recording coating, comprising the steps of: disposing a target comprising a first material in a sputtering chamber; disposing a substrate to be coated within the chamber, the substrate comprising a polymer; injecting an inert gas into the chamber; injecting at least one further gas into the chamber; creating an electric potential between the target and an anode of sufficient strength to ionize the inert gas; the first material and the at least one further gas being selected so as to form a cermet optical storage layer on the substrate when the electric potential is created, the layer comprising metal particles disposed in a solid dielectric matrix, the metal particles comprising a second material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, nickel, copper, platinum, palladium, rhodium and combinations thereof, the dielectric comprising a third material selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , TiO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , ZnO, ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 , CdO, Si 3 N 4 , TiN and other transition metal nitrides and combinations thereof.

Claim 25

A method of optically recording data, comprising the steps of: selectively exposing a substrate to laser light, the substrate including a coating layer, the coating layer comprising metal particles dispersed in a ceramic matrix, the metal particles comprising a first material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, nickel, copper, platinum, palladium, rhodium and combinations thereof, the ceramic matrix comprising a second material selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , TiO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , ZnO, ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 , CdO, Si 3 N 4 , TiN and other transition metal nitrides and combinations thereof.

Claim 26

A method of optically recording data, comprising the steps of: selectively exposing a substrate to laser light, the substrate including a coating layer, the coating layer comprising metal particles dispersed in a ceramic matrix, the metal particles comprising a first material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, nickel, copper, platinum, palladium, rhodium and combinations thereof, the ceramic matrix comprising a second material selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , TiO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , ZnO, ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 , CdO, Si 3 N 4 , TiN and other transition metal nitrides and combinations thereof.

Claim 27

A method of reading optically recorded data, comprising the steps of: exposing a substrate to low power laser light, the substrate including a coating layer thereon, the coating layer comprising metal particles dispersed in a ceramic matrix, the metal particles comprising a first material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, nickel, copper, platinum, palladium, rhodium and combinations thereof, the ceramic matrix comprising a second material selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , TiO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , ZnO, ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 , CdO, Si 3 N 4 , TiN and other transition metal nitrides and combinations thereof, the substrate previously selectively being exposed to high power laser light such that bits thereof so exposed to the high power laser light have a reflectance to the low power light substantially less than bits thereof not so exposed.

Claim 28

A method of reading optically recorded data, comprising the steps of: exposing a substrate to low power laser light, the substrate including a coating layer thereon, the coating layer comprising metal particles dispersed in a ceramic matrix, the metal particles comprising a first material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, nickel, copper, platinum, palladium, rhodium and combinations thereof, the ceramic matrix comprising a second material selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , TiO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , ZnO, ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 , CdO, Si 3 N 4 , TiN and other transition metal nitrides and combinations thereof, the substrate previously selectively being exposed to high power laser light such that bits thereof so exposed to the high power laser light have a reflectance to the low power light substantially less than bits thereof not so exposed.

Claim 29

A method of optimizing properties of an optical storage layer for storing information by being selectively illuminated with high powered light, comprising the steps of: varying a thickness of the optical storage layer and varying a metal particle atomic fraction as well as a solid dielectric atomic fraction of the optical storage layer so as to optimize an optical reflectance, an optical absorptance, and a thermoconductivity of the optical storage layer so as to be suitable for recording information by being selectively illuminated with high power light, the optical storage layer comprising a cermet optical storage layer, the cermet comprising metal particles dispersed in a ceramic matrix, the metal particles comprising a first material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, nickel, copper, platinum, palladium, rhodium and combinations thereof, the ceramic matrix comprising a second material selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , TiO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , ZnO, ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 , CdO, Si 3 N 4 , TiN and other transition metal nitrides and combinations thereof.

Claim 30

A method of optimizing properties of an optical storage layer for storing information by being selectively illuminated with high powered light, comprising the steps of: varying a thickness of the optical storage layer and varying a metal particle atomic fraction as well as a solid dielectric atomic fraction of the optical storage layer so as to optimize an optical reflectance, an optical absorptance, and a thermoconductivity of the optical storage layer so as to be suitable for recording information by being selectively illuminated with high power light, the optical storage layer comprising a cermet optical storage layer, the cermet comprising metal particles dispersed in a ceramic matrix, the metal particles comprising a first material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, nickel, copper, platinum, palladium, rhodium and combinations thereof, the ceramic matrix comprising a second material selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , TiO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , ZnO, ZrO 2 , Y 2 O 3 , CdO, Si 3 N 4 , TiN and other transition metal nitrides and combinations thereof.