Information recording medium and method for manufacturing the same

1. An information recording medium on and/or from which information can be recorded and/or reproduced by applying light or applying electrical energy, and which media comprises:

at least one recording layer,

at least one interface layer of a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material comprising Si, In, M1 (M1 representing at least one element selected from among Zr and Hf) and oxygen (O), wherein the layer of Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material comprises 1 atomic % or more Si,

at least one dielectric layer of a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material comprising Si, In, M1 (M1 representing at least one element selected from among Zr and Hf) and oxygen (O), wherein the layer of Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material comprises 1 atomic % or more Si, and

at least one reflective layer,

wherein a layer of Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material as an interface layer, another layer of Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material as a dielectric layer and a reflective layer are stacked in this order on one surface of a recording layer, and

a proportion of In occupying the Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material as an interface layer is larger than a proportion of In occupying the Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material as a dielectric layer, and/or

a proportion of Si occupying the Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material as an interface layer is smaller than a proportion of Si occupying the Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material as a dielectric layer.

2. The information recording medium according to claim 1 , wherein either one or both of the interface layer and the dielectric layer comprises a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material represented by a formula (1):

Si a1 In b1 M1 c1 O 100-a1-b1-c1 (atomic %)  (1)

wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from among Zr and Hf, while a 1 , b 1 and c 1 satisfy relationships: 1≦a 1 <32, 3<b 1 <38, 1<c 1 <30, and 25<al+bl+c 1 <40.

3. The information recording medium according to claim 1 , wherein either one or both of the interface layer and the dielectric layer comprises a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material represented by a formula (2):

(SiO 2 ) x1 (In 2 O 3 ) y1 (M1 O 2 ) 100-x1-y1 (mol %)  (2)

wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from among Zr and Hf, while x 1 and y 1 satisfy relationships: 5≦x 1 ≦90, 5≦y 1 ≦90 and 10≦x 1 +y 1 ≦95.

4. The information recording medium according to claim 1 , wherein either one or both of the interface layer and the dielectric layer further comprises M2 in which M2 represents at least one element selected from among Y, Cr and Ga.

5. The information recording medium according to claim 4 , wherein either one or both of the interface layer and the dielectric layer comprises a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material represented by the formula (3):

Si d1 In e1 M1 f1 M2 g1 O 100-d1-e1-f1-g1 (atomic %)  (3)

wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from among Zr and Hf, M2 represents at least one element selected from among Y, Cr and Ga, while d 1 , e 1 , f 1 , and g 1 satisfy relationships: 1≦d 1 <31, 2<e 1 <38, 1<f 1 <29, 0<g 1 <36, and 25<d 1 +e 1 +f 1 +g 1 <40.

6. The information recording medium according to claim 4 , wherein either one or both of the interface layer and the dielectric layer comprises a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material represented by a formula (4):

(SiO 2 ) z1 (In 2 O 3 ) w1 (M1O 2 ) v1 (M2 2 O 3 ) 100-z1-w1-v1 (mol %)  (4)

wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from among Zr and Hf, M2 represents at least one element selected from among Y, Cr and Ga, while z 1 , w 1 and v 1 satisfy the relationships: 5≦z 1 <90, 5≦w 1 <90, 5≦v 1 <90, and 15≦z 1 +w 1 +v 1 <100.

7. The information recording medium according to claim 4 , wherein either one or both of the interface layer and the dielectric layer comprises a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material comprising Y as M2, which is represented by a formula (5):

(SiO 2 ) u1 (In 2 O 3 ) t1 [(ZrO 2 ) 0.97 (Y 2 O 3 ) 0.03 ] 100-u1-t1 (mol %)  (5)

wherein u 1 and t 1 satisfy relationships: 5≦u 1 ≦90, 5≦t 1 ≦90, and 10≦u 1 +t 1 ≦95.

8. The information recording medium according to claim 4 , wherein either one or both of the interface layer and the dielectric layer comprises a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material comprising Y as M2, which is represented by a formula (6):

(SiO 2 ) s1 (In 2 O 3 ) r1 [ZrO 2 ) 0.92 (Y 2 O 3 ) 0.08 ] 100-s1-r1 (mol %)  (6)

wherein s 1 and r 1 satisfy relationships: 5≦s 1 ≦90, 5≦r 1 ≦90, and 10≦s 1 +r 1 ≦95.

9. The information recording medium according to claim 1 , wherein either one or both of the interface layer and the dielectric layer further comprises at least one component selected from among:

carbon (C);

oxide of at least one element selected from among Sc, La, Gd, Dy, Yb, Al, Mg, Zn, Ta, Ti, Ca, Ce, Sn, Te, Nb and Bi;

nitride of at least one element selected from among Si, Cr, Al and Ge; and

Si—C.

10. The information recording medium according to claim 1 , wherein the recording layer can undergo phase transition.

11. The information recording medium according to claim 10 wherein the recording layer comprises Ge and Te and at least one element selected from among Sb, Bi, In and Sn.

12. The information recording medium according to claim 11 , wherein the recording layer comprises a material represented by any of (Ge-Sn)Te, GeTe —Sb 2 Te 3 , (Ge—Sn)Te—Sb 2 Te 3 , GeTe—Bi 2 Te 3 , (Ge—Sn)Te—Bi 2 Te 3 , GeTe—(Sb—Bi) 2 Te 3 , (Ge—Sn)Te—(Sb —Bi) 2 Te 3 , GeTe—(Sb—In) 2 Te 3 and (Ge—Sn)Te—(Bi—In) 2 Te 3 .

13. The information recording medium according to claim 4 , wherein either one or both of the interface layer and the dielectric layer comprises Cr as M2.

14. The information recording medium according to claim 13 , wherein either one or both of the interface layer and the dielectric layer further comprises Y.

15. The information recording medium according to claim 1 which further comprises a layer comprising Cr, M1 and O which is disposed in contact with a surface of the recording layer which surface is opposite to the one surface.

16. The information recording medium according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective layer comprises Ag as a main component.

17. The information recording medium according to claim 1 , which comprises two or more recording layers.

18. A method for producing the information recording medium according to claim 1 , which method comprises at least a step of forming the layer of the Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material by sputtering method wherein a sputtering target comprising Si, In, M1 and O with concentration of Si not less than 0.5 atomic % is used.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the sputtering target comprises a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material represented by a formula (11):

Si a2 In b2 M1 c2 O 100-a2-b2-c2 (atomic %)  (11)

wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from among Zr and Hf, while a 2 , b 2 and c 2 satisfy relationships: 0.5≦a 2 <35, 0<b 2 <43, 0<c 2 <35, and 20<a 2 +b 2 +c 2 <45.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the sputtering target comprises a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material represented by a formula (12):

(SiO 2 ) x2 (In 2 O 3 ) y2 (M1O 2 ) 100-x2-y2 (mol %)  (12)

wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from among Zr and Hf, while x 2 and y 2 satisfy relationships: 2<x 2 ≦95, 0<y 2 ≦95 and 5≦x 2 +y 2 <100.

21. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the sputtering target further comprises M2 (wherein M2 at least one element selected from among Y, Cr and Ga).

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the sputtering target comprises a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material represented by a formula (13):

Si d2 In e2 M1 f2 M2 g2 O 100-d2-e2-f2-g2 (atomic %)  (13)

wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from among Zr and Hf, M2 represents at least one element selected from among Y, Cr and Ga, while d 2 , e 2 , f 2 , and g 2 satisfy relationships: 0.5≦d 2 <34, 0<e 2 <43, 0<f 2 <34, 0<g 2 <41, and 20<d 2 +e 2 +f 2 +g 2 <45.

23. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the sputtering target comprises a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material represented by a formula (14):

(SiO 2 ) z2 (In 2 O 3 ) w2 (M1O 2 ) v2 (M2 2 O 3 ) 100-z2-w2-v2 (mol %)  (14)

wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from among Zr and Hf, M2 represents at least one element selected from among Y, Cr and Ga, while z 2 , w 2 and v 2 satisfy relationships: 2<z 2 <95, 0<w 2 <95, 0<v 2 <95, and 10≦z 2 +w 2 +v 2 <100.

24. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the sputtering target comprises a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material represented by a formula (15):

(SiO 2 ) u2 (In 2 O 3 ) t2 [(ZrO 2 ) 0.97 (Y 2 O 3 ) 0.03 ] 100-u2-t2 (mol %)  (15)

wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from among Zr and Hf, while u 2 and t 2 satisfy relationships: 2<u 2 ≦95, 2<t 2 ≦95, and 5≦u 2 +t 2 <100.

25. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the sputtering target comprises a Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material represented by a formula (16):

(SiO 2 ) s2 (In 2 O 3 ) r2 [(ZrO 2 ) 0.92 (Y 2 O 3 ) 0.08 ] 100-s2-r2 (mol %)  (16)

wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from among Zr and Hf, while s 2 and r 2 satisfy the relationships: 2<s 2 ≦95, 2<r 2 ≦95, and 5≦s 2 +r 2 <100.

26. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the sputtering target further comprises at least one component selected from among:

carbon (C);

oxide of at least one element selected from among Sc, La, Gd, Dy, Yb, Al, Mg, Zn, Ta, Ti, Ca, Ce, Sn, Te, Nb and Bi;

nitride of at least one element selected from among Si, Cr, Al and Ge; and

Si—C.

27. The method according to claim 18 , wherein a rare gas or a mixed gas of the rare gas and O 2 gas is used in the step of forming the layer of Si—In—Zr/Hf—O-based material.