Thin Films Used for Write-Once Blue Laser Recording

SbO_x thin films are deposited by reactive dc-magnetron sputtering from an antimony metal target in Ar+O₂ with the relative O₂ content 7%. It is found that the as-deposited films can represent a two-component system comprising amorphous Sb and amorphous Sb₂O₃. The crystallization of Sb is responsible for the changes of optical properties of the films. The results of the static test show that the SbO_x thin films have good writing sensitivity
for blue laser beams and the recording marks are very clear and circular. High reflectivity contrast of about 41% is obtained at a writing power 6mW and writing pulse width 300ns. In addition, the films show a good stability after reading 10000 times.