MODEL INVESTIGATIONS OF BUBBLE FORMATION IN LASER RECORDING MEDIUM OFA-CARBON POLYMER/

The mechanism of bubble formation in WORM (Write Once Read Many) laser recording media based on thin film of amorphous carbon on polymer is studied. It was shown that the recording process is mainly determined by specific thermal response of the polymer layer, or the glass substr ate. The role of the carbon film in the laser recording/reading proces s is restricted only to absorb sufficiently high quantity of light and to transform it into heat as well as to generate the optical contrast necessary for reading of information. A novel mechanism of bubble for mation without gas evolution is observed, due only to thermal modifica tion and expansion of the polymer.