High contrast optical memory disk

Claim 2

An optical memory disk for laser recording and storage of optical information comprising, a self-supporting, planar disk backing, a vacuum or vapor deposited reflective metallic layer over said disk backing, a planar optical storage layer disposed over said metallic layer, said optical storage layer having a planar crust of irregular oblong black silver particles within the top one-half micron of the storage layer distal to the backing and substantially clear gelatin below the crust.

Claim 3

The optical memory disk of claim 1 further comprising a film substrate layer disposed over said disk backing in intimate contact therewith in planar relation, said metallic layer deposited on said film substrate layer.

Claim 4

The optical memory disk of claim 1 wherein said metallic layer is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, aluminum, platinum, rhodium, copper and alloys thereof.

Claim 5

The optical memory disk of claim 1 wherein a transparent, protective, planar layer is disposed over said optical storage layer.

Claim 6

The optical memory disk of claim 1 wherein said optical storage layer contains prerecorded control information.

Claim 7

The optical memory disk of claim 1 wherein said optical storage layer contains laser written data.

Claim 8

A double-sided optical memory disk comprising, a self-supporting, optically transparent planar disk backing, a first planar optical storage layer disposed over said disk backing, said optical storage layer having a crust of irregular oblong black silver particles within one-half micron of the storage layer proximal to the backing and substantially clear gelatin above the crust, a first vapor or vacuum deposited reflective metallic layer disposed on said gelatin, a first planar support layer disposed over said metallic layer, said support layer having opposed planar surfaces, including a lower surface proximate said disk backing and an upper surface distal to said disk backing, a second planar support layer, substantially identical to said first planar support layer and adhered to the upper surface thereof, a second vapor or vacuum deposited reflective metallic layer disposed over said second planar support layer, a second planar optical storage layer disposed over said second metallic layer, said optical storage layer having a planar crust of irregular oblong black silver particles within the top one-half micron of the storage layer distal to the backing and substantially clear gelatin below the crust, and a transparent, protective, planar layer disposed over said second optical storage layer.

Claim 9

A double-sided optical memory disk comprising, a self-supporting, optically transparent planar disk backing, a first planar optical storage layer disposed over said disk backing, said optical storage layer having a crust of irregular oblong black silver particles within one-half micron of the storage layer proximal to the backing and substantially clear gelatin above the crust, a first vapor or vacuum deposited reflective metallic layer disposed on said gelatin, a first planar support layer disposed over said metallic layer, said support layer having opposed planar surfaces, including a lower surface proximate said disk backing and an upper surface distal to said disk backing, a second planar support layer, substantially identical to said first planar support layer and adhered to the upper surface thereof, a second vapor or vacuum deposited reflective metallic layer disposed over said second planar support layer, a second planar optical storage layer disposed over said second metallic layer, said optical storage layer having a planar crust of irregular oblong black silver particles within the top one-half micron of the storage layer distal to the backing and substantially clear gelatin below the crust, and a transparent, protective, planar layer disposed over said second optical storage layer.

Claim 10

The double-sided disk of claim 7 wherein said optical storage layers contain prerecorded control information, each of said optical storage layers having been previously exposed at actinic wavelength and developed and fixed to produce a substantially dark, very thin, black silver crust, but having an imagewise exposure pattern of clear marks revealing the underlying high reflectivity metallic layer for light at the reading wavelength.

Claim 11

The double-sided disk of claim 7 wherein said optical storage layers contain laser written data.

Claim 12

The double-sided disk of claim 7 wherein said metallic layer material is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, aluminum, platinum, rhodium, copper and alloys thereof.

Claim 15

The method of claim 11 further defined by making an imagewise exposure of marks representing control indicia or data, said exposure made in said photosensitive emulsion layer with actinic radiation, and developing and fixing said exposure pattern of image marks being substantially clear revealing an underlying reflectivity in the metallic layer when illuminated by light.

Claim 16

The method of claim 11 wherein said photosensitive emulsion layer is composed of a silver chloride emulsion.

Claim 17

The method of claim 11 wherein said photosensitive emulsion layer is composed of a silver bromide emulsion and developing said emulsion is performed with a chemical developer containing an organic antifoggant.