Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
211 words
A method of recording bivalent signals on an opto-magnetic record medium including a ferrimagnetic material whose compensation temperature is higher than an operating temperature, but is lower than a Curie temperature, by projecting a laser light beam upon the record medium and applying an external magnetic field, comprising: modulating the intensity of the laser light beam in accordance with one of the bivalent signals into a high power level by means of which the ferrimagnetic material is heated to a first temperature which is higher than the Curie temperature, so that said one of the bivalent signals is recorded under such a condition that the direction of the magnetization is determined at a temperature higher than the compensation temperature, but lower than the Curie temperature; and modulating the intensity of the laser light beam in accordance with the other of the bivalent signals into a low power level by means of which the ferrimagnetic material is heated to a second temperature which is higher than the operating temperature, but is lower than the compensation temperature, so that said other of the bivalent signals is recorded under such a condition that the direction of the magnetization is determined at a temperature higher than the operating temperature, but lower than the compensation temperature.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
211 words
A method of recording bivalent signals on an opto-magnetic record medium including a ferrimagnetic material whose compensation temperature is higher than an operating temperature, but is lower than a Curie temperature, by projecting a laser light beam upon the record medium and applying an external magnetic field, comprising: modulating the intensity of the laser light beam in accordance with one of the bivalent signals into a high power level by means of which the ferrimagnetic material is heated to a first temperature which is higher than the Curie temperature, so that said one of the bivalent signals is recorded under such a condition that the direction of the magnetization is determined at a temperature higher than the compensation temperature, but lower than the Curie temperature; and modulating the intensity of the laser light beam in accordance with the other of the bivalent signals into a low power level by means of which the ferrimagnetic material is heated to a second temperature which is higher than the operating temperature, but is lower than the compensation temperature, so that said other of the bivalent signals is recorded under such a condition that the direction of the magnetization is determined at a temperature higher than the operating temperature, but lower than the compensation temperature.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the external magnetic field is abruptly decreased in accordance with increase of a distance from a position at which the light beam is irradiated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein the external magnetic field has an intensity lower than a minimum coercive force of the ferrimagnetic material within a temperature range from the operating temperature to the compensation temperature, at a position at which the coercive force of the ferrimagnetic material during a cooling period after the end of the irradiation of the light beam becomes higher than the external magnetic field.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein said ferrimagnetic material has a composition (Tb x Dy 1-x ) y (Fe z CO 1-z ) 1-y , where 0≦x≦1, 0.13≦y≦0.21 and 0.6≦z≦1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 4, wherein the record medium is formed as a disc and is rotated about its center with respect to the laser light beam and the external magnetic field.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein the low power level of the laser light beam is set to 6-7 mW and the high power level is set to 7 to 10 mW.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said external magnetic field has a peak value of about 2 KOe at the center axis of the laser light beam and is decreased to about 300 Oe at a position separated from the center axis of the laser light beam by more than 100 μm, and the minimum coercive force of the ferrimagnetic material is about 1 KOe.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein the laser light beam is modulated at a recording frequency within a range from 3 MHz to 4 MHz.