An information recording medium and a method for producing the same according to the present disclosure are configured to have an information layer in which a larger amount of light for reproduction can be obtained, so that the medium is suitable for recording information at high recording density and is useful for a multi-layer optical disc that records a large amount of contents.

A holographic storage optical system includes a storage medium, a recording unit, an imaging unit and a servo unit. The recording unit comprises a movable Fourier lens, by which the positions and irradiation angles of a signal light spot and a reference light spot are adjusted. The servo unit comprises a calibration lens for adjusting the positions of a servo light spot in the horizontal and vertical directions so that the servo light spot is located at an optimal position relative to signal light beam and reference light beam. The beam calibrating method comprises (1) before recording a data hologram, burning a calibration hologram at a calibration holographic positioning mark on an optical track of a storage medium; (2) before reproducing the data hologram, using the calibration hologram to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio of the hologram reproduced by adjusting the calibration lens and the Fourier lens.

A holographic storage optical system includes a storage medium, a recording unit, an imaging unit and a servo unit. The recording unit comprises a movable Fourier lens, by which the positions and irradiation angles of a signal light spot and a reference light spot are adjusted. The servo unit comprises a calibration lens for adjusting the positions of a servo light spot in the horizontal and vertical directions so that the servo light spot is located at an optimal position relative to signal light beam and reference light beam. The beam calibrating method comprises (1) before recording a data hologram, burning a calibration hologram at a calibration holographic positioning mark on an optical track of a storage medium; (2) before reproducing the data hologram, using the calibration hologram to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio of the hologram reproduced by adjusting the calibration lens and the Fourier lens.

In at least one embodiment, an optical data storage tape is provided. The optical data storage tape includes a read/write data area including a plurality of writeable tracks for storing data thereon, each writeable track having a first track width. The optical data storage tape further includes a seam area positioned proximate to the read/write data area. The seam area including a plurality of non-writeable tracks, each non-writeable track including a second track width that is greater than the first track width for each writeable track.

An optical recording medium includes a transmissive recording layer containing an oxide of a metal M.sub.A, an oxide of a metal M.sub.B, and an oxide of a metal M.sub.C. The metal M.sub.A is at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Mn and Ni. The metal M.sub.B is at least one kind selected from the group consisting of W and Mo. The metal Mc is Zr. An atomic ratio (M.sub.A/M.sub.B) of the metal M.sub.A to the metal M.sub.B is not less than 0.37 and not more than 1.31. The metal M.sub.C is contained in the transmissive recording layer at not less than 0.9 atomic % and not more than 27.5 atomic %.

A recording material includes a dye-bonded polymer compound which contains a polymer compound to which a one-photon absorption dye is bonded, and a glass transition temperature of the recording material is higher than 200° C. An optical information recording medium includes a recording layer and an intermediate layer adjacent to the recording layer, and the recording layer contains the above-described recording material.

A write-once type information recording medium according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes at least one recording layer. In the information recording medium, the at least one recording layer has a spiral shape in which a land track and a groove track are alternately arranged as a recording track, the recording track is divided into blocks each of which being minimum unit in which recording is performed, and the information recording medium includes a management information area where management information is recorded and a user data area where user data is recorded. Each of the management information areas of both the land track and the groove track on each recording layer of the at least one recording layer is disposed at a same distance from the center of the information recording medium.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a hologram reproducing apparatus and a hologram reproducing method, which are suitable for reproducing hologram. The purpose can be achieved by means of a hologram reproducing apparatus, which reproduces information signals by irradiating an optical information recording medium with reference light, and a hologram reproducing method for the hologram reproducing apparatus. The hologram reproducing apparatus is characterized in being provided with: a polarization conversion section, which converts polarization of diffracted light that is generated when the optical information recording medium is irradiated with the reference light; a light receiving section, which receives the diffracted light having the polarization thereof converted by means of the polarization conversion section; and a servo signal generating circuit section, which generates signals for moving the optical information recording medium or the polarization conversion section using the diffracted light received by means of the light receiving section.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a hologram reproducing apparatus and a hologram reproducing method, which are suitable for reproducing hologram. The purpose can be achieved by means of a hologram reproducing apparatus, which reproduces information signals by irradiating an optical information recording medium with reference light, and a hologram reproducing method for the hologram reproducing apparatus. The hologram reproducing apparatus is characterized in being provided with: a polarization conversion section, which converts polarization of diffracted light that is generated when the optical information recording medium is irradiated with the reference light; a light receiving section, which receives the diffracted light having the polarization thereof converted by means of the polarization conversion section; and a servo signal generating circuit section, which generates signals for moving the optical information recording medium or the polarization conversion section using the diffracted light received by means of the light receiving section.

In a multilayer optical disc having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, because the type of each information layer is not recorded in the other information layers, in read and write operations by a compatible optical disc device conforming to a plurality of optical disc standards, every time the information layer being accessed changes, it has been necessary to read the type of the information layer and select a method of generating a tracking error signal adapted to the type of information layer, so access has taken time. In order to solve the above problem, in the optical multilayer disc according to the present invention, having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, in an area in one of the information layers, information about the other information layers is recorded. The time required to access the other information layers can be reduced by using this information to select a tracking error signal generating method.