An optical storage medium, a method for preparing an optical storage medium, and a system are provided. In this application, the optical storage medium includes a substrate and at least one data layer, the data layer includes a recording layer and a spacer layer, the recording layer is located on the spacer layer, and the data layer is located above the substrate. The recording layer may store data, the recording layer includes an area in which a phase change material is distributed and an area in which no phase change material is distributed, and the two different areas may indicate different data.

A sintered compact target containing an element(s) (A) and an element(s) (B) as defined below is provided. The sintered compact target is free from pores having an average diameter of 1 μm or more, and the number of micropores having an average diameter of less than 1 μm existing in 40000 μm.sup.2 of the target surface is 100 micropores or less. The element(s) (A) is one or more chalcogenide elements selected from S, Se, and Te, and the element(s) (B) is one or more Vb group elements selected from Bi, Sb, As, P, and N. The provided technology is able to eliminate the source of grain dropping or generation of nodules in the target during sputtering, and additionally inhibit the generation of particles.

An optical storage medium, a method for preparing an optical storage medium, and a system are provided. In this application, the optical storage medium includes a substrate and at least one data layer, the data layer includes a recording layer and a spacer layer, the recording layer is located on the spacer layer, and the data layer is located above the substrate. The recording layer may store data, the recording layer includes an area in which a phase change material is distributed and an area in which no phase change material is distributed, and the two different areas may indicate different data.

A sintered compact target containing an element(s) (A) and an element(s) (B) as defined below is provided. The sintered compact target is free from pores having an average diameter of 1 m or more, and the number of micropores having an average diameter of less than 1 m existing in 40000 m.sup.2 of the target surface is 100 micropores or less. The element(s) (A) is one or more chalcogenide elements selected from S, Se, and Te, and the element(s) (B) is one or more Vb group elements selected from Bi, Sb, As, P, and N. The provided technology is able to eliminate the source of grain dropping or generation of nodules in the target during sputtering, and additionally inhibit the generation of particles.