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.

The present invention relates to an information storage medium and a method for long-term storage of information comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; coating the ceramic substrate with a layer of a second material different from the material of the ceramic substrate, the layer having a thickness no greater than 10 μm; tempering the coated ceramic substrate to form a writable plate or disc; encoding information on the writable plate or disc by using a laser and/or a focused particle beam to manipulate localized areas of the writable plate or disc.

The present invention relates to an information storage medium and a method for long-term storage of information comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; coating the ceramic substrate with a layer of a second material different from the material of the ceramic substrate, the layer having a thickness no greater than 10 μm; tempering the coated ceramic substrate to form a writable plate or disc; encoding information on the writable plate or disc by using a laser and/or a focused particle beam to manipulate localized areas of the writable plate or disc.

The present invention relates to an information storage medium and a method for long-term storage of information comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; coating the ceramic substrate with a layer of a second material different from the material of the ceramic substrate, the layer having a thickness no greater than 10 m; tempering the coated ceramic substrate to form a writable plate or disc; encoding information on the writable plate or disc by using a laser and/or a focused particle beam to manipulate localized areas of the writable plate or disc.

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.

The present invention relates to an information storage medium and a method for long-term storage of information comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; coating the ceramic substrate with a layer of a second material different from the material of the ceramic substrate, the layer having a thickness no greater than 10 m; tempering the coated ceramic substrate to form a writable plate or disc; encoding information on the writable plate or disc by using a laser and/or a focused particle beam to manipulate localized areas of the writable plate or disc.