Cu-Si bilayers as storage medium in optical recording

Instead of a phase change or a dye layer, a Cu/Si bilayer can be applied as the recording medium in a write-once Blu-ray Disc. The write process basically comprises the formation of a CuSi alloy containing 25-30 at. % Si, while any excess of Si is left behind as unreacted film. Auger analyses of the laser-written layers indicate that recording consists primarily of the diffusion of Si into Cu. The data allow for discrimination between the various models presented in literature for Cu/Si-based recording and to optimize the stack. Very low jitter levels of typically 4% proved to be achievable with equally thick films of Cu and Si as recording medium. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.