Abstract Optical recording and record elements are provided. The elements comprise a write-once amorphous thin-film optical recording layer of an alloy having a composition within a polygon in a ternary composition diagram of antimony, zinc, and tin; wherein (a) the composition diagram is according to FIG. 7 herein; and (b) the polygon has the following vertices and corresponding coordinates in atom percent: ______________________________________ Coordinates
Vertices Sb Sn Zn
______________________________________
A 98 0 2
B 54 44 2
C 30 44 26
D 30 10 60
E 70 0 30
______________________________________
A method of recording information, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a recording element comprising a write-once amorphous thin-film optical recording layer of an alloy having a composition within a polygon in a ternary composition diagram of antimony, zinc, and tin; wherein (i) the composition diagram is ##STR1## and (ii) the polygon has the following vertices and corresponding coordinates in atom percent: ______________________________________
Coordinates
Vertices Sb Sn Zn
______________________________________
A 98 0 2
B 54 44 2
C 30 44 26
D 30 10 60
E 70 0 30; and
______________________________________ (b) focusing an information modulated laser beam on the recording layer to form a pattern of crystalline and amorphous areas in the layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of recording information, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a recording element comprising a write-once amorphous thin-film optical recording layer of an alloy having a composition within a polygon in a ternary composition diagram of antimony, zinc, and tin; wherein (i) the composition diagram is ##STR1## and (ii) the polygon has the following vertices and corresponding coordinates in atom percent: ______________________________________
Coordinates
Vertices Sb Sn Zn
______________________________________
A 98 0 2
B 54 44 2
C 30 44 26
D 30 10 60
E 70 0 30; and
______________________________________ (b) focusing an information modulated laser beam on the recording layer to form a pattern of crystalline and amorphous areas in the layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the alloy has a composition within the polygon in ternary composition diagram ##STR2## said composition being within the following vertices and corresponding coordinates: ______________________________________
Coordinates
Vertices Sb Sn Zn
______________________________________
F 88 4 8
G 60 36 4
H 34 36 30
I 66 4 30
______________________________________
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the alloy comprises Sb 65 Sn 20 Zn 15 ; Sb 60 Sn 28 Zn 12 ; Sb 60 Sn 20 Zn 20 or Sb 55 Sn 20 Zn 25 .