In a drawing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when performing drawing on a thermal recording medium that includes, above a recording layer, a light-transmitting member having an uneven shape in a plane, an optical compensator having one surface and another surface is provided on the light-transmitting member to cause the one surface and the light-transmitting member to face each other, and the thermal recording medium is irradiated with a laser beam via the optical compensator. The one surface of the optical compensator has a shape that fits the uneven shape of the light-transmitting member, and the other surface is flat and opposed to the one surface.

In a drawing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when performing drawing on a thermal recording medium that includes, above a recording layer, a light-transmitting member having an uneven shape in a plane, an optical compensator having one surface and another surface is provided on the light-transmitting member to cause the one surface and the light-transmitting member to face each other, and the thermal recording medium is irradiated with a laser beam via the optical compensator. The one surface of the optical compensator has a shape that fits the uneven shape of the light-transmitting member, and the other surface is flat and opposed to the one surface.

An erasing unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a unit that performs erasing of information written on a reversible recording medium. This erasing unit includes: a light source section including one or a plurality of laser devices; and a controller that controls the light source section to cause the light source section to emit a smaller number of laser light beams having emission wavelengths than the number of the recording layers included in the reversible recording medium.

An erasing unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a unit that performs erasing of information written on a reversible recording medium. This erasing unit includes: a light source section including one or a plurality of laser devices; and a controller that controls the light source section to cause the light source section to emit a smaller number of laser light beams having emission wavelengths than the number of the recording layers included in the reversible recording medium.

A medium includes: a heat-sensitive medium and an adhesive medium laminated over the heat-sensitive medium in a thickness direction thereof. The heat-sensitive medium includes a base material and a first heat-sensitive layer configured to produce a first color when heated above a first temperature. The first heat-sensitive layer is positioned between the base material and the adhesive medium in the thickness direction. The adhesive medium includes an adhesive-medium base material and an adhesive layer provided at the adhesive-medium base material. The adhesive medium defines a width greater than a width of the heat-sensitive medium in a width direction thereof crossing the thickness direction.

The present invention provides a thermochromic color-memory composition including (a) an electron-donating color-developing organic compound, (b) an electron-accepting compound, and (c) an ester compound represented by the following formula (1) or (2), as a reaction medium which controls color reaction of the component (a) and the component (b); and a thermochromic color-memory microcapsule pigment encapsulating the thermochromic color-memory composition. ##STR00001##

A drawing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes, when performing drawing on a thermal recording medium that includes a light-transmitting member above a recording layer, obtaining information regarding the light-transmitting member, predicting an optical axis deviation of a laser beam in the recording layer from the information regarding the light-transmitting member, and calculating a correction amount from a result of the prediction of the optical axis deviation.

A drawing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes, when performing drawing on a thermal recording medium that includes a light-transmitting member above a recording layer, obtaining information regarding the light-transmitting member, predicting an optical axis deviation of a laser beam in the recording layer from the information regarding the light-transmitting member, and calculating a correction amount from a result of the prediction of the optical axis deviation.

A recording medium of an embodiment includes a base material; a first color development layer that is located on the base material and absorbs light of a given wavelength to develop color; a second color development layer that is located closer to an incident side of the light than the first color development layer, transmits visible light and the light, and develops a color by heat; and a photothermal conversion layer that is located closer to an incident side of the light than the second color development layer intended to develop a color, transmits the visible light, and absorbs the light to photo-thermally convert the light into the heat.

A reversible recording medium according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a recording layer including a coloring compound having an electron-donating property, a color developing/quenching agent having an electron-accepting property, a photothermal conversion agent, and a macromolecular material; and an ultraviolet absorbing layer provided on the recording layer, the macromolecular material including an organic material that has solubility of 20 wt % or more and 80 wt % or less at 25° C. or less and contains 0.5 wt % or less of chlorine atoms, fluorine atoms, and sulfur atoms in a molecule.