Materials aspects in phase change optical recording

Phase change recording materials used in reversible optical recording disks are briefly reviewed with focus on Ge-Sb-Te and Ag-In-Sb-Te materials. Met hods that lead to a high crystallization rate of the Ce-Sb-Te recording lay er are discussed. The role of recording layer composition, its thickness an d interface levers, is especially emphasized. It is demonstrated that the m ethods used for increasing the crystallization rate of Ge-Sb-Te materials u sually lead to opposite results in Ag-In-Sb-Te because of their different c rystallization mechanisms: nucleation-driven vs growth-driven crystallizati on processes. Using Ge-Sb-Te and Ag-In-Sb-Te as example materials, a method is introduced for distinguishing crystallization mechanisms of an amorphou s material. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. Pill rights reserved.