KR20030037234A - Copy protected optical media and method of manufacture thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a lead-only copy protection optical medium having a photosensitive material at a position where data reading can be changed while copying the optical medium, but in which reading of the underlying data is possible.

Description

Copy-protected optical media and its manufacturing method {COPY PROTECTED OPTICAL MEDIA AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF}

Optical data storage media (“optical media”) are media in which data is stored in an optically readable manner. Data on optical media is encoded by light conversion in one or more layers of media. Optical data carriers are used to distribute, store and access large amounts of data. The format of optical media is read-only format such as CD-DA (Digital Audio Compact Disc), CD-ROM (CD Lead Only Memory), DVD (Digital Multifunction Disc or Digital Video Disc) media, and CD-R (CD-Reco Double) and formats that can be written once and read multiple times, such as DVD-R (DVD-Recordable), magneto-optical (MO) discs, CD-RW (CD rewritable), DVD-RAM (DVD Random Accessory Media) , DVD-RW or DVD-RW (DVD-Writable), PD (Phase-Changed Dual Disc by Panasonic), and other rewritable batteries such as other phase-change optical discs. Erasable or rewritable optical discs function in the same way as magnetic optical (MO) discs and can be rewritten many times. MO discs are very robust and are typically installed for business purposes in high capacity disc libraries.

Optical media has increased in popularity since its first introduction, largely due to its large capacity for storing data as well as its open standards. For example, a commercially available magnetic floppy diskette can only store 1.44 Mb of data, whereas an optical CD ROM of approximately the same size can have a capacity of over 600 MB. DVDs have a significantly higher recording density than CDs. For example, a typical DVD lead-only disc currently has a capacity of 4.7 GB (DVD-5, 1 side / 1 layer) to 17.0 GB (DVD-18, 2 side / 1 layer), and a single recording DVD is 3.95 GB. (DVD-R, 1 side / 1 layer) to 7.90 GB (DVD-R, 2 sides / 1 layer) (the new DVD-R can store 4.7 GB per side), and a typical rewritable DVD It has a capacity of 2.6 GB (DVD-RAM, 1 side / 1 layer) to 10.4 GB (MMVF, 2 side / 1 layer). Optical discs have made a significant contribution to the replacement of cassette tapes and floppy disks in the music and software industries, and are significantly replacing video cassette tapes in the home video industry.

Data is stored on an optical medium by forming light modifications or marks at discrete locations in one or more layers of the medium. Such deformations or marks cause a change in light reflectivity. To read data on an optical medium, an optical medium player or reader is used. An optical media player or reader illuminates a "read" point, typically a point of small laser light, through the disk substrate into a data layer with such light deformations or marks while the medium or laser head is rotating.

In a typical "lead-only" type of optical media (eg "CD-ROM"), the data is stored as a series of "pits" embossed together with a plane of "land" as a whole. Fine pits formed on the surface of the plastic medium are disposed in the track, which are radially spaced from the center hub in a spiral track that occurs at the center hub of the medium and terminates at the outer rim of the medium. The fit side of the medium is coated with a reflective layer, such as a thin film of aluminum or gold. On top of that the racker layer is usually coated as a protective layer.

The intensity of light reflected by the optical media player or reader from the surface of the lead-only medium is changed depending on the presence or absence of pits along the information track. When the read point is above the flat portion of the track, more light is reflected directly from the disc than when the read point is above the pit. The light detector inside the optical media player, and other electronics, transform the signal from the transition point between the pit and the land caused by this conversion to 0 and 1 of the digital code representing the stored information.

Many types of optical media are available that allow the end user to record data on the media, which are classified as " writable " or " writable " or " rewritable. &Quot;

"Writable" or "writable" optical media (eg, "CD-R" discs) allow the end user to permanently write data onto the media. The laser light of the writing device causes a permanent deformation or change in optical reflectivity in the discrete areas of the media data layer. Many writable optical media are known, those employing a laser deformable layer in a configuration in which optically readable sites similar to known pits and lands are formed thereon in conventional lead-only optical media (e.g. EP- See A2-0353391), by employing a liquid crystal material in the data layer such that irradiation with a laser beam causes permanent light deformation in the data layer (e.g., between the two reflective layers such that it forms a Fabry-Perot interferometer US Pat. No. 6,139,933 employing layers), and those using dyes that reversibly change the state when exposed to a high power surge laser diode and maintain that state when read with a low power read laser (so-called, WORM, write once, and read multiple times optical media).

Rewritable optical media (eg CD-RW, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD + RW, and PD media) use laser beams to cause reversible light deformation or marks in the data layer, thereby providing The layer can be written, read, erased and rewritten many times.

In one system, the optically deformable data layer is deformed at the site separated by the write-in laser to form light changes, for example represented by pits and lands, and to be erased, or to the same light deformable data layer. The data is erased by uniformly modifying some of it's found. In other systems a layer of photochromic material is used to store the data. In such a system, the photochromic material is reversibly changed when the material is irradiated by a particular wavelength held by the light. For example, a colorless compound can change its molecular state to a semi-stabilized color state when irradiated with ultraviolet light, but returns to a colorless state upon exposure to visible light. By selectively irradiating the photochromic material layer with one wavelength causing the optical change and inverting the optical change with the other wavelength, the data can be written, erased, and rewritten.

Materials that change color due to changes in crystalline state have been found to be particularly useful in rewritable media. In one system, a dark material in the amorphous state, but a light substance in the crystalline state is used to record the data. In such a system, dark amorphous marks are formed using short high power laser pulses that melt the recording material and are subsequently quenched to temperatures below the crystal temperature. The data formed thereby can be erased by heating the amorphous state over a sufficiently long time between the crystallization temperature and the melting temperature to regain the crystalline state. Ternary stoichiometric compounds containing Ge, Sb and Te (e.g., Ge ₁ Sb ₂ Te ₄ Ge ₂ Sb ₂ Te ₅ ) exhibit large optical contrast, especially between the amorphous and crystalline phases, and acceptable melting temperatures (t _cryst = about 150-200 ° C., t _melt = about 600 ° C.). Alloys of such compounds with antimony (Sb), cadmium (Cd), and tin (Sn) have also been employed in rewritable media.

In rewritable optical media, control information such as address data, rotation control signals, user information, and the like is generally recorded in the form of pre-pits on a header field.

The data may be stored in what is referred to as a fluorescent multilayer disk. In fluorescence memory storage, data appears as local changes in fluorescence material properties. Typically the material is illuminated by irradiation at an excitation wavelength and the fluorescent signal is registered at a different wavelength. A spectral filter is used to separate the fluorescence signal at the receiver from the noise of the excitation radiation. The data can be stored in a 3-D fashion using the fluorescence principle. When fluorescent media must be able to be reinserted, two photon approaches are often used. In this approach, fluorescent media containing photochromic molecules that can exist in the form of two isomers are used. The first isomeric form is not fluorescent and has an absorption band of ultraviolet irradiation and can be converted to the second isomeric form upon simultaneous absorption of two long-wavelength photons that may exhibit fluorescence.

Hybrid optical media are also known. For example, "half-and-half" discs are known, where some of the discs have conventional CD-ROM pits, and other portions of the disc have grooves pressed into the disc. On top of the pressed groove, there is a dye layer to form the CD-R portion. A relatively new hybrid optical medium is CD-PROM (ie, CD programmable ROM). CD-PROM media combines the Lead Only CD-ROM format with a recordable CD-R format in one medium, but is characterized by having only a single continuous groove while the entire medium is coated with a dye layer. The geometry of the consecutive grooves of the CD-PROM medium is adjusted to look like a ROM fit with respect to the optical reader. It also does not present a dye change problem that must be overcome in manufacturing.

An optical disc medium is read by moving a read head which generates an irradiation beam with a specific trajectory with respect to the optical medium. Irradiation beams are used to distinguish areas with different optical properties, such different optical properties being used to display data, for example an "on" logic state is indicated by a particular area. The detectable difference is converted into an electrical signal, which is then converted into a format that can be conveniently manipulated by the signal processing system. For example, by setting the threshold level of reflectance, the transition between pit and land can be detected at the point where the signal reflected from the reflectance intersects the threshold level. Pits represent 1 and lands represent 0. In this way, binary information can be read from the medium.

Most commercially available software, video, audio and entertainment available today are recorded in lead only optical format. This is because replication to the lead-only optical format is significantly cheaper than replicating data to a rewritable and rewritable optical format. Another reason is that the lead only format is less questionable in terms of read reliability. For example, some CD readers / players have problem reading CD-R media, which have low reflectivity and therefore require high power read lasers, or better "tuned" to specific wavelengths.

Data is easily written separately on pre-writable and rewritable media, for example on a single disc at a time using a laser. The data is easily stamped onto the lead-only medium by a dye molding (injection molding) process during the manufacture of the lead only medium. Today, optical media containing more data can be produced by stamping rather than by laser writing for a set unit time, significantly reducing the cost of such stamped lead-only optical media for large volumes of optical media. Let's do it. The production of stamped media is also considerably cheaper than the production of phosphor multilayer media.

Optical media of the interference / reflectance type, including lead only format, are typically manufactured following a number of defined steps.

The data that must be encoded on the medium is first pre-mastered (formatted) so that the data is converted into a series of laser bursts by a laser to be oriented onto a glass master platter. The glass master platter is easily coated with photoresist such that when a laser beam from an LBR (laser beam recorder) hits the glass master, a portion of the photoresist coating is "burned" or exposed. After exposure to the laser beam, it is cured and the photoresist in the unexposed areas is cleaned. The resulting glass master is typically electroplated with Ag or Ni. The electron forming stamper medium thus formed has physical properties representing data. When many optical media of disc type are produced, the electroformed stamper media is commonly referred to as a "father disc." Father disks are commonly used to make "mother discs" of mirror images, which are used to make a plurality of "child disks", often referred to in the art as "stampers". Stampers are used to produce replica discs, each of which contains data and track information that has been recorded on the glass master. If only a small number of disks (less than 10,000) are to be replicated and time and cost have to be reduced, the original "father" disk is stamped in the mold rather than creating a "stamper family" of father, mother and child stampers. Can be used as.

Stampers are typically used in conjunction with injection molding machines to produce replicating media. A commercially available injection molding apparatus is a piston driven press of more than 20,000 pounds which puts the mold under great pressure.

In an optical media molding process, the resin is forced into a cavity in an optical tool (mould) through the tap channels to form a media substrate. Most optical discs today are made of light grade polycarbonate, which is kept dry and clean to protect against the action of moisture or other contaminants. The moisture or other contaminants can introduce birefringence and other problems into the disc and the polycarbonate is injected into the mold at a controlled temperature in the molten state. When the cavity is filled and compressed against the stamper, the format of the groove or pit is duplicated by the stamper on the substrate. After the part has sufficiently cooled down, the optical tool mold is opened and the spout and the outlet of the product are advanced forward so that the formed optical medium exits the stamper. The ejected substrate is distributed to the next station of the replication line by the transfer of the robot arm or gravity, the transfer time and the distance between the stations providing an opportunity to cool and cure the substrate.

After molding in the manufacture of the lead only format, the next step is to apply a reflective metal layer to the data retention layer (the face with the feet and lands) of the substrate. This is generally accomplished by a sputtering process, where a plastic medium is placed in a vacuum chamber with a target of the metal and electrons strike the target, so that individual metal molecules are splashed into the medium, causing the media to attract the molecules by static electricity. To keep it. The sputtered media is then removed from the sputtering chamber and spin coated onto the metal with a polymer, typically an ultraviolet curing racker, to protect the metal layer from wear and corrosion. Spin coating occurs when the dispenser measures and distributes the amount of polymer onto the media in the spin coating chamber and the media rotates rapidly to uniformly distribute the polymer over its entire surface.

After spin coating, the racker is cured by exposing the medium to ultraviolet radiation from the lamp (when the racker is used as a coating) and sufficient metal is deposited in a sufficiently thick layer on the substrate so that all the bits of data can be read out correctly. The photodiode is used to visually check the reflectivity of the media to ensure that it is. Optical media that do not pass the visual inspection are loaded onto the reject spindle and subsequently discarded. Those that passed are either totally labeled or taken to another station for packaging. Some of the "passed" media can be checked with other inspection equipment for quality assurance purposes.

Optical media significantly reduce the manufacturing costs associated with selling content such as software, video and audio work, and games due to their small size and relatively low amount of resources associated with manufacturing. They also unfortunately improved the economics of pirated editions and allowed them to sell the pirated copies to the general public, some of which were significantly better than other data storage media, such as video and audio. Media distributors report potential sales losses of trillions of dollars due to high quality copies.

Typically, pirates make optical masters by extracting logical data from optical media, copying such data onto magnetic tape, and setting the tape on a master device. Pirate distributors sometimes use CD or DVD recordable media duplication equipment to make copies of the supplied media, which are either sold directly or pre-masters to create a new glass master for duplication. Can be used as Numerous pirate optical media can be replicated from a single master without a drop in the quality of information stored on the optical media. As consumer demand for optical media remains high and such media are easily reproduced at low prices, replication has become popular.

Various copy protection techniques and devices have been proposed in the art to limit the copying of unauthorized optical media. These technologies include analog colostripe protection systems (CPS), CGMS, content scrambling systems (CSS), and digital copy protection systems (DCPS). Analog CPS (also known as Macrovision) provides a way to protect videotape as well as DVD. However, the implementation of analog CPS may require the installation of circuits in every player used to read the media. Typically, when the optical medium or tape is "macrovision protected", the electronic circuitry sends a colorburst signal to the player's composite video and S-video outputs, resulting in incomplete copying. Unfortunately, the use of macrovision can also negatively affect normal playback quality.

The media, along with the CGMS, may contain information specifying whether the contents of the media can be copied. The device being used to copy the media must be equipped to recognize the CGMS signal and must respect the signal to prevent copying. The Content Scrambling System (CSS) provides an encryption technique that is designed to prevent direct bit-to-bit copying. Each player that includes CSS is provided with one of the four hundred keys that the player can read data on the media, but prevents the copying of the keys needed to decrypt the data. However, the CSS algorithm has been destroyed and spread throughout the Internet, allowing unscrupulous copyers to make copies of encrypted optical media.

A digital copy protection system (DCPS) provides a method for copying only marked media as a device capable of copying digital media can be copied. Thus, the optical medium itself can be designated as non-copyable. However, for the system to be useful, the copying device must be provided with software that respects the "not copyable" designation. While currently available copy protection techniques make it more difficult to copy data from optical media, such techniques have not been shown to be very effective in preventing the production of large amounts of counterfeit copies. The hardware changes required to achieve many copy protection plans are simply not widely accepted. Since data encryption techniques are routinely cracked, it has been found that encryption code protection schemes are not completely prevented in reducing copying data from optical media.

Therefore, there is a need for a copy protection optical medium that does not depend entirely on encryption code or special hardware to prevent copying of the optical medium. Such optical media should be manufactured easily and economically given the current constraints of current optical media manufacture. Copy protection media should be readable by many existing optical media readers or readers without requiring modifications to such devices.

Justice

"Authentication material" refers to a material used to authenticate, identify, and protect optical media. Data recorded on optical media such as software, video or audio files is not an authentication substance.

"Communication system" refers to any system or network for delivering digital data from a source to a target.

"Light convertible material": A material that absorbs, reflects, radiates, or otherwise modifies electromagnetic radiation directed to a material. By "light convertible compound" is meant, without limitation, "photosensitive", "light emitting" and "light absorbing" compounds as defined below.

"Light emitting material": A material that emits light in response to being excited with light. The light emission may be the result of phosphorescence, chemiluminescence or more preferably fluorescence. By the term "light emitting compound" is meant to include compounds having one or more of the following properties. 1) they are fluorescent, phosphorescent or luminescent; 2) acts or interacts with components of a sample or standard or both that yield at least one fluorescent, phosphorescent or luminescent compound; Or 3) interact with or interact with at least one fluorescent, phosphorescent or luminescent compound that modifies the emission at an emission wavelength.

"Light absorbing compound": A compound that absorbs light in response to light irradiation. Light absorption can be the result of any chemical action known to those skilled in the art.

"Photosensitive material": A material that can be activated to change in a physically measurable manner when exposed to one or more light wavelengths.

"Non-destructive security dye": refers to a security dye that does not make the medium permanently unreadable.

"Opaque Resistance Photosensitive Material": A material that can be activated to change in a way that can be physically measured as being non-transparent when exposed to one or more light wavelengths. The opaque resistive photosensitive material can be reversed when an activated change returns to its original state due to passage of time or changes in ambient conditions.

A medium of any geometry (not necessarily circular) that can store digital data that can be read by an "optical medium" optical reader.

"Recording dye" refers to a chemical compound that can be used with an optical recording medium for recording digital data on a recording layer.

"Leader": any device capable of detecting data that has been recorded on an optical medium. The term "leader" is meant to include a player, without limitation. Examples are CD and DVD reader.

"Lead-Only Optical Media" An optical medium with digital data stored as a series of feet and lands.

"Recording layer": The portion of an optical medium on which data is recorded for reading, playing or uploading to a computer. Such data may include software programs, software data, audio files, and video files.

"Register Mark": A physical and / or optical mark used to enable accurate alignment between one substrate and another substrate so that when the registration mark is aligned, the positions on each corresponding substrate are known. For example, when two media are juxtaposed relative to each other such that the marks of the two media are aligned, a point on one substrate is known that corresponds to physical and / or optical deformation on the other substrate.

"Reread": Read a portion of data recorded on the medium since a portion of the data was first read.

"Reversible photosensitive material": A photosensitive material is referred to as reversible when an activated change returns to its initial state due to passage of time or a change in ambient conditions.

"Security dye" refers to a compound capable of providing or altering a signal to protect data on a storage medium.

"Temporary substance" refers to a substance that can be detected for a limited time or a limited number of reads.

The present invention is a copy of a US patent application filed on June 21, 2001, which is part of US Patent Application No. 09 / 821,577 filed on March 29, 2001, which is filed on December 15, 2000. Part of US Patent Application Ser. No. 09 / 739,090, filed Aug. 3, 2000. US patent application Ser. No. 09 / 631,585, filed June 30, 2000. Part of US Patent Application Serial No. 09 / 608,886, the priority of which is hereby claimed, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to an optical information recording medium in which copying is entirely prevented, and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to the manufacture of optically readable digital storage media, which uses a conventional optical media reader such as a CD or DVD reader to replicate the information stored thereon. Although prevented, reading of information from the digital storage medium is made possible by such a reader.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the detailed description, illustrate the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above, the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below describes the principles of the invention. It serves to explain.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional prior art optical storage medium generally referred to as a lead only optical storage disk.

2 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary optical storage medium of the present invention.

3 is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary optical storage medium of the present invention.

4 is a cross-sectional view of the optical storage medium, in which the photosensitive material is located in a layer separate from the content data.

5 is a flow chart illustrating an injection molding technique for producing lead only media.

FIG. 6 is a schematic flow chart of a preferred method of the present invention for producing lead only optical media with a small modification to the conventional injection of producing lead only optical media of the type shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a schematic flow chart of a preferred method of the present invention for producing lead only media with minor modifications to the lead-only optical medium of the type shown in FIG. 3.

The present invention provides an optical medium and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein the optically changeable compound is contained in or on the optical medium at discrete locations to provide for changing the digital data output from a portion of the recording layer in a predictable manner. By providing copy protection. Such a medium allows data to be read out without requiring a change to the hardware, firmware or software used in the optical medium reader while preventing the reproduction of the medium. The optical medium of the present invention provides a producer and distributor of digital data with a data distribution medium that prevents the reproduction of digital data such as, for example, software audio and video. The present invention relates in particular to lead-only digital data, including but not limited to CD, CD-ROM, DVD, DVD-5, DVD-9, DVD-10, DVD-18, and DVD-ROM. An optical variant that represents is permanently introduced into at least a portion of the optical medium before being distributed to the end user. However, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the present invention can be used with rewritable and rewritable optical media such as CD-R and DVD-R.

The present invention does not prevent the underlying data from being read into a conventional optical media reader, but in such a manner as to prevent the production of available optical media copies using such conventional optical media readers. A method of altering and / or increasing stored light read data has been found. The invention provides for the selective display of certain reversible light changeable materials and, in particular, light emitting materials at discrete locations on the optical medium, thereby allowing the conventional optical reader to display the data represented by the optical deformation at the first pass of those locations. Although accurate reading was possible, the second pass was found to read the data differently due to activation of the reversible light changeable material. That is, the light passing through the reader can be used to affect the material and change its characteristics so that the data signal received by the detector at the time of reread is different from that received at the first sampling. For example, the light changeable compound can be made reflective within a time frame that provides a reflectance of the light beam when sampled again. In contrast, light changeable materials change the signal positively or negatively by providing delayed light emission or absorption.

Most optical media readers and players are pre-programmed to resample the data portion of the recording layer to ensure accurate copying, so that data strings read from the recording layer are activated at the time of sampling by the optically variable material. As will vary depending on whether or not the optical medium of embodiments of the present invention will fail to replicate. That is, resampling a data site proximate a light changeable material may result in different data reads than when the data was originally read. Although copying can be made, copying will be invalid if a program on the optical medium requires two different reads to access the data on the optical medium. That is, the copy will be invalid because it represents only one of two possible states at such a data location.

The present invention provides certain optical media designs and methods of making such designs, which include light changeable materials in a manner that selectively changes the data reading of the recording layer in proximity to the focus of the light changeable material. In particular, there is provided an optical media design that can be easily and economically produced without significantly altering the injection molding manufacturing process of lead-only optical media (as described above).

In a first embodiment of the invention, a light having a light changeable material selectively imprinted or disposed on an unimpressed (i.e., not stamped) surface of an optical medium recording layer. A medium is provided. Such a medium has a first substrate having two major surfaces, the data track being disposed on one major surface of the first substrate and the light changeable compound disposed on the other major surface of the first substrate, so as to provide suitable optical stimulation ( For example, it cooperates with a data track that changes data upon excitation with a specific wavelength). Such optical media preferably further comprise a second substrate, preferably having similar optical properties (preferably the same material), which is fixedly attached to the surface of the substrate on which the light changeable compound is disposed.

The first embodiment optical medium of the present invention is provided after the substrate is stamped and sufficiently cooled, and after the optical medium tool mold is opened (though the inlet and product outlet are forward to release the molded optical medium from the stamper). Can be produced by placing the light changeable material on the side of the unimpressed substrate. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, such fabrication techniques enable the light changeable material to be accurately registered with data impressions on the other side of the substrate. Preferably, the light changeable material is covered by a second substrate of similar (or identical) light properties to protect the light changeable material from its surrounding environment. Such a second substrate may be secured to the first substrate before or after the sputtering step used to cover the stamped surface of the first substrate. Either or both of the first and second substrates can be fixedly attached by spin coating with an adhesive prior to formation of such optical medium. Alternatively, the light changeable material may be coated with a polymer, such as by spin coating. For example, optically pure rackers may be used to coat the light changing material.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a first substrate layer having a first major surface and a second surface, wherein the first major surface of the first substrate layer has a light changeable material thereon, the first One or both of the first or second major surfaces of the substrate layer may include a first substrate layer having a registration mark thereon; A second substrate layer having a first major surface and a second major surface, the first major surface of the second substrate layer having information pits thereon, and the first or second major surface of the second substrate being A second substrate layer having a registration mark thereon, wherein the second major surface of the second substrate is disposed along the first major surface of the first substrate layer such that the registration marks of the first and second substrates are aligned ; A metal reflective layer disposed along the first major surface of the second substrate layer; An optical medium is provided, including a first overcoat layer disposed along the metal reflective layer and, optionally, a second overcoat layer disposed along the second major surface of the first substrate layer.

The optical medium of the second embodiment comprises the steps of: obtaining a first substrate having a registration mark on a first major surface, a second major surface, and either or both of the first or second major surfaces; Imprinting a light changeable material at discrete locations on the first major surface of the first substrate layer; Obtaining a second substrate having a registration mark on a first major surface, a second major surface, and either or both of the first major surface or the second major surface, wherein the second substrate layer is formed of the second substrate layer. Obtaining a second substrate, the first major surface having information pits thereon; The second major surface of the second substrate is disposed along the first major surface of the first substrate such that the registration marks on the first and second substrates are aligned, and the second major surface of the second substrate is aligned. Fixing to the first major surface of the first substrate; Metallizing the first major surface of the second substrate layer having the information pits; Disposing a first overcoat layer along the metallization surface; And selectively disposing the overcoat along the second major surface of the first substrate layer. As those skilled in the art will understand, the registration mark need not be on the actual surface of the substrate, but needs to be detected. By “surface with detectable registration mark” it is meant that the registration mark can be detected through or on it.

In a third embodiment of the invention, there is provided an optical medium having a substrate having material (s) that can interact or be activated with each other, the material being capable of light change when exposed to a particular light source of limited energy. The material (s) are formed and such material is coated onto the unpressed (ie, unstamped) side of the recording layer of the optical medium. Such optical media may contain light changeable materials when exposed to a first substrate, a data track disposed along one surface of the first substrate, and a particular light source (of limited energy) coated on an unembossed surface of the first substrate. It has a material that can be activated to form. For example, lasers catalyze the crosslinking of certain inert material (s) to form light changeable compounds such as light emitting materials. In such an embodiment, it forms a light changeable material at discrete locations that will cooperate by positioning in relation to the data track to alter the data when excited with an appropriate light stimulus (e.g., a particular wavelength). In order to do this, the coated material is activated using an appropriate light source (and energy) at the separated site. Such selective activation in various portions of the first substrate to form the light changeable compound can be performed in a manner similar to that used to write data to CD-R discs. Such optical media may preferably further comprise a second substrate, which is preferably of similar optical properties (preferably of the same material) and is fixedly attached to the surface of the substrate on which the shaped light changeable compound is disposed . In an alternative to such an embodiment, the material coated on the unembossed side (ie, the stamped side) of the recording layer of the optical medium may be selectively deactivated using a laser of a particular wavelength and intensity. It may be a changeable substance. In such cases, selective activation at the appropriate data location can be caused by deactivating the first portions of the coating that do not want to have light changeable properties.

In a fourth embodiment of the invention, a substrate having two major surfaces and one major surface thereof disposed thereon, and a data track disposed thereon, arranged on top of such data tracks to allow for appropriate light stimulation (ie An optical medium is provided having a cohesive layer comprising a light changeable material that cooperates with a data track to alter the reading of data stored therein when excited by activation of the material. Preferred optical media of such embodiments include a first molded layer having a data track disposed thereon, a first polymer layer covering the data track, a second polymer layer having a light changeable material, and a second polymer. And a third polymer layer covering the layer. The first polymer layer may have a dielectric layer. The first and second polymer layers are preferably 3 mm or less in thickness.

In a fifth embodiment, the data site is sampled again where the light changeable material is found (or where the light changeable material affects reading), and the data so derived when the data site is read back again. If is the same as the data at the first sampling, then the copy protection provided by the optical medium itself has a code that instructs the optical reader not to allow access to the data. In other embodiments, the light changeable compound must be located at a specific position relative to the optical medium in operation. For example, software may be provided on the optical medium to instruct the optical reader such that a light changeable material in a plane different from the light data is detected and access to the light data is allowed only if such light changeable material is detected. To change the focal length.

In a sixth embodiment of the invention, an optical medium having a light changeable material is selected prior to the metallization step to selectively change the light changeable material into lands or pits of standard optical media using microinjection techniques well known in the art. It is formed by arranging.

In a seventh embodiment of the invention, it is disclosed that the optical medium has an adhesive material comprising a light changeable material, and the adhesive material is attached to one or more layers or surfaces of the medium. For example, the light changeable material may be placed in an optically transparent material on a layer or surface of the medium or in a label such that the light changeable material is positioned in a desired manner.

In an eighth embodiment of the invention, a first major surface having two major surfaces and having a data track disposed thereon comprises a substrate having a data track disposed thereon, a reflective layer disposed along the data track, and a light changeable material disposed on the reflective layer. There is provided an optical medium having a layer comprising it. The data track may have a plurality of impressions on the optical medium. The reflective layer can be formed by sputtering reflective material into the data tracks. In such an embodiment, the reflective layer has one or more holes or through discontinuities therein to allow light passing through the first major surface to pass therethrough and be able to impinge on a portion of the light changeable material layer. The through discontinuities can be formed by any method known in the art, for example by a high power laser. Light changeable materials may be incorporated into the rackers currently used to seal optical media. Alternatively, currently used ultraviolet curing rackers can cover the light changeable material. Removing part of the reflective layer allows the conventional laser of the laser to be read at the place where the reflective layer was removed.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the penetration discontinuity of such an embodiment means that the pits and lands (correlated or not related to the through discontinuity) are read in a conventional manner upon the first reading pass, but discontinuities in the reflective layer in the next reading Pits and / or lands associated with are formed in the reflective layer in a planned manner that is not typically read out. For example, a pit associated with a discontinuity in the reflective layer can be read out as a pit at the first read, but (those that light modifiable material irradiates enough light to threshold the light received by the readout laser at the next readout. As in the case of the above increase, the next reading is read as a land due to the change of the layer of light change material detected by the reading laser as a physical structural change of the data track (due to the discontinuity in the reflection layer). Can be.

Without being limited to any particular manufacturing method, optical media of such embodiments can be manufactured by modifications of conventional optical disk manufacturing techniques. The media may be injection molded and metallized as described in connection with the manufacture of conventional lead only optical discs. The disc is then placed in a glass mastering device or an improved CD writer such that selected portions of the metallized layer are removed to form through discontinuities in the layer. A layer of light changeable material may then be placed on the non-read surface of the medium, for example by spin coating, so that the layer of light change material in such access to the readout laser only through the through discontinuities in the metallization layer. . As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the formation of the through discontinuities is due to any subsequent reading after the first reading or activation of the light changeable material, or any standard error protocol employed in connection with media such as CIRC and / or EFM. Is preferably performed in a manner that does not result in rejection of the data read.

The present invention overcomes many of the problems associated with prior art optical media copy protection systems. The present invention provides an optical medium that uses certain essential physical properties of the optical medium composition to prevent effective radiation of the optical medium. The present invention provides for changing the digital data output during the reading of such optical media in a manner that the data can be read while preventing the reproduction of the media. Such an invention does not require a change to the hardware, firmware or software used in conventional optical readers. The alteration of data reading is accomplished by selectively placing the light changeable compound in the medium, which preferably acts upon excitation from light used by conventional light readers. By selective placement of such light changeable materials, conventional light readers can read optically encoded data in one way prior to activation of the light changeable material, and in other ways after activation. And when the light changeable material is no longer activated, it can be read in a first manner.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a transition from land to pit or from pit to land is typically interpreted as "1" by a standard optical reader. However, if the pit is among the other pits, or if the land is among the other lands, then "O" will be registered. Selective placement of the photosensitive material in relation to pits and lands can affect the reading of the data. For example, if there is a 3T land after a land of length 3T immediately preceding a 6T foot, the conventional optical disc reader will read a data stream of 00100000100, where the pit to land Each transition is read out as "1". If the light changeable material can be read by the reader over a 3T length of 6T on subsequent reading, the data stream may instead be read as 00000100100. That is, the transition can be moved by causing the reader to detect the transition from pit to land, or vice versa, where there is no physical transition.

Light changeable materials can be selectively placed in line with data pits and lands and a checksum set on the optical medium is a cross-interleave reed-solomon code (CIRC) decoder (all CDs). Consider a changeable data string to prevent the underlying data from being read because the standard on the player / reader does not detect a read error. Up to 3 percent of the demodulated incoming frame from the readout laser can be modified by an improved CIRC decoder. Data indicated by pits and lands, and data indicated by light changeable materials, may need to be decoded by the CIRC decoder to modify the data string. Alternatively, the light changeable material may be placed in a flat separation layer on the injection molded data, regardless of the registry.

When two different data sets that are readable from the location are used to cause the proper reading of the optical medium (e.g. when a software instruction set on the optical medium or elsewhere requires two different data at the location for proper function) However, it is desirable that the light changeable material employed exhibit long term stability under typical optical medium storage conditions and that the light changeable material is light and inert so that the optical medium can be used for a long time. On the other hand, in some applications it may be desirable for the selected light changeable material to degrade over time so that the optical medium can only be read for a limited time, for example a demonstration disk.

Demonstration discs are often provided to consumers to induce consumers to purchase a complete release of the product. Demonstration discs are often packaged to provide only limited functionality (i.e. they cannot perform all aspects of fully functional software) and / or contain a set of instructions that limits the number of times a user can employ the disc. The present invention can be made to be a fully functional demonstration disc employing the principles of the present application, but to achieve that in purely (possibly hacked) software means over time or after several uses. It can be designed to lack functionality without depending on it.

The light changeable compound may be selected from any compound or combination of compounds that serves to change the output signal from the medium upon reread. Such compounds include, without limitation, delayed emission compounds, delayed absorbance compounds, and other light changeable compounds. Layers in the medium that become reflective upon reread may be useful in predictably changing the output of the medium.

The light modifiable compounds of the present invention may be organic or inorganic in nature, combinations thereof, or mixtures thereof. The compound has a wavelength of light that is photosensitive to it so that the data can be read by the reader in at least the first intended form upon the first reading, and at least in the second intended form when sampled again. It is desirable to indicate a delayed response to.

In a preferred embodiment, the light changeable compound is a compound capable of emitting light upon stimulation by one or more light wavelengths. In a preferred embodiment, the light emissive light changeable compound emits at a wavelength that is about or about the same as the wavelength that can be detected by the reader. For example, it is desirable for a CD to emit a light changeable compound at a wavelength of about 780 nm and for a DVD to emit a light changeable compound at about 650 nm.

As described above, the light changeable compound may be organic in nature, for example a dye. A particularly useful class of organic dyes of the invention is cyanine dyes. Such cyanine dyes include, among others, indodicarboncyanine (INCY), benzindodicarbocyanine (BINCY), and hybrids comprising both INCY and BINCY. Hybrids include, for example, mixtures of two different dyes, or in other embodiments include compounds comprising portions of both INCY and BINCY. In one embodiment, the light changeable compound is a ratiometric compound having a structure linked to an excitation range in the CD and DVD ranges of about 530 and 780 nm. In another embodiment, the dye is phosphorescent with a time delay of about 10 milliseconds.

Table 1 shows some organic dyes that can be used with the present invention.

Dye name / number CD / DVD here Release Alcian Blue (dye 73) DVD 630 nm absorption Methyl green (dye 79) DVD 630 nm absorption Methylene blue (dye 78) DVD 661 nm absorption Indocyanine green (dye 77) CD 775 nm 818 nm Copper Phthalocyanine (dye 75) CD 795 nm absorption IR 140 (dye 53) CD 823 nm (66 ps) 838 nm IR 768 Perchlorate (Dye 54) CD 760 nm 786 nm IR 780 Iodide (dye 55) CD 780 nm 804 nm IR 780 perchlorate (dye 56) CD 780 nm 804 nm IR786 iodide (dye 57) CD 775 nm 797 nm IR768 perchlorate (dye 58) CD 770 nm 796 nm IR792 perchlorate (dye 59) CD 792 nm 822 nm 1,1'-Dioctadecyl (DIOCTADECYL) -3,3,3 ', 3'-tetramethyllindodicarbocyanine iodide (dye 231) DVD 645 nm 665 nm 1,1'-Dioctadecyl (DIOCTADECYL) -3,3,3 ', 3'-tetramethyllinedodicarbocyanine iodide (dye 232) DVD 748 nm 780 nm 1,1 ', 3,3,3', 3'-hexamethyl (HEXAMETHYL-INDODICARBOCYANINE IODIDE (dye 233) DVD 638 nm 658 nm DTP (dye 239) CD 800 nm (33 ps) 848 nm HITC Iodide (dye 240) CD 742 nm (1.2 ns) 774 nm IR P302 (dye 242) CD 740 nm 781 nm DTTC iodide (dye 245) CD 755 nm 788 nm DOTC iodide (dye 246) DVD 690 nm 718nm IR-125 (dye 247) CD 790 nm 813 nm IR-144 (dye 248) CD 750 nm 834 nm

As also described above, the light changeable compound may be essentially inorganic. Inorganic compounds have particular uses in the present invention if the light changeable material is required to be functional for a long time on the optical medium. Inorganic compounds tend to have less degradation when exposed to repeated laser challenges.

It is known that inorganic compounds capable of emitting light can be used in the present invention. Compounds such as zinc sulfide (ZnS) at various concentrations (seto, D. (Ana), Biochem 189,51053 (1990)), rare earth sulfides, and ZnS-SiO ₂ , Zn ₂ SiO ₄ and Oxide sulfides, such as, but not limited to, La ₂ O ₂ S, are known to emit phosphorescence at certain wavelengths. Such inorganic light emitting compounds include manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), europium (Eu), samarium (Sm), SmF ₃ , thebium (Tb), TbF ₃ , thrium (Tm), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag) and metal ions such as magnesium (Mg) can be advantageously used. The phosphorescence and luminescence properties of the compound can be altered in the ZnS crystal lattice, for example, by controlling the delay time and the wavelength of the emission by changing the metal ions used for bonding. (See US Pat. No. 5,194,290).

Inorganic phase change materials can also be used to achieve the radiation protection of the present invention. Particularly useful inorganic phase change materials include chalcogenide materials such as GeSbTe, InSbTe, InSe, AsTeGe, TeO _x -GeSn, TeSeSn, SbSeBi, BiSeGe, and AgInSbTe-type materials, which are from an amorphous state. It can be changed by energy absorption from a particular light source in the crystalline state. The phase change must be timed so that the underlying data of the phase change material can be read out before the change occurs. In addition, the phase change should be unchanged enough to allow different data reads to be obtained when resampling, and not be too persistent so that the underlying data is blurred for a significant time. The software on the optical medium must key in the time involved in changing the image and returning to the original image. In a preferred embodiment, the transition from amorphous to crystalline state should not further persist beyond about 300 msec. As with laser pumping, multiple readings at the same location can be used to induce temperature changes, resulting in phase change activation at certain points or locations.

Inorganic compounds may be used in various forms as understood by those skilled in the art, including, but not limited to, very fine particle sizes, such as dispersed or packed in a crystal lattice (eg, a dropper). DE Biophysics, see Chem. 21: 91-101 (1985).

If the pit size on a conventional CD ROM is 0.8 micrometers and the pit on a conventional DVD is 0.4 micrometers, the inorganic or organic light changeable material used in the present invention is preferably smaller than each pit size.

In conventional "lead only" type optical media, the light changeable material may be disposed at or at the pit and / or land level, such as for delayed light emitting material, resampling data. When the light changeable material emits light, the pits may be read out as lands. In a rewritable or recordable optical medium, the light changeable material is preferably arranged in the phase change layer in such a manner as to be read out if there is no substrate change, and in a manner that interferes with the reading of the substrate change.

Various methods may be used to enable accurate placement of light changeable materials in relation to data structures (ie, pits, lands, deformations, etc., read out as data), which is required to be obscured upon activation of the light changeable materials. . For example, the light changeable material may be formulated with a uv curable resin or photoinitiator to achieve curing at wavelengths (400-800 nm) or UVA, UVB and UVC ranges (254 nm-365 nm) associated with the reader. It is arranged as a layer on the optical medium. A laser beam of the appropriate wavelength is used to cure the resin at the correct point on the optical medium and wash off any remaining uv cured resin. Photomasks can be used to pinpoint the hardening on the optical medium. In such techniques, the light changeable material is disposed in a photosensitive film overlying an optical medium. Photomasks are used to enable regulated curing of the film by allowing the curing light to pass through the photomask at certain locations, placing the light changeable material at a desired location on the optical medium. Alternatively, fluorescent microspars such as quantum dots or nanocrystals (Peng. Am. Chem. Soc. 119: 7019 7029 (1997)) or molecular probes (Fluosphere usable form) (Oregon USA) Can be used for accurate placement on optical media Such micromaterials can be placed in discrete locations using lithographic processes such as, for example, photomasks.Pulose pair beads are 0.2 micrometers in size. Since it can be fabricated at -4.0 micrometers, such fluorespars can be arranged at the pit level.

Instead of directly matching the light changeable material to the pits, land or data structure of the contents, the light changeable material can be placed in a flat separation layer on the injection molded data without considering the registry.

The light changeable material may be disposed on the optical medium with boundary spin coating rather than specifically positioned at a particular point or location. Preferably, in such a case, the spin coating is uniform in thickness. The thickness of the light changeable material of such an embodiment can be adjusted by varying the rotational speed of the medium during the spin coating process, among other factors. The thickness of the layer will vary depending on the application but is generally a thickness of about 160 nm to less than 1 nm. The required thickness of the layer with the light changeable material may vary depending on the absorber of the material, the emission of the material, the density of the material and the structure of the medium, as well as the characteristics of the reader used to read the data from the medium. Can be. Typically, the thickness of the underlying data is adequately read by the transmission of light at the time of initial sampling, while providing a suitable change such as light emission when sampling again with the same reader. A layer of light changeable material is applied to such a dense thickness. In many applications it has been found that film thicknesses of between 50 and 160 nm are useful. For most CDs the film thickness is in the range of about 70 to about 130 nm, but for most DVDs it is preferred that the film thickness is about 50 nm to about 150 nm.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the duration of the activation state of a light changeable material, such as a photosensitive material (i.e. the length of time the material is in an activated state relative to the initial state), and the transition of the initial state into an activated state The delay of (ie, the length of time it takes for the substance to go from the initial state to the activated state) is important to enable proper reading of the underlying data, and to cause changes in data reading when resampling. . If the pit size in the CD ROM is 8 micrometers and the typical rotation speed is 1.2 m / sec, the preferred delay in the CD is at least about 6.85 × 10 ⁻⁷ seconds. If the pit size in the DVD is 0.4 micrometers and the rotational speed is about 3.5 m / sec, the preferred delay in the DVD is at least about 1.14 × 10 ⁻⁷ . If the delay is too rapid, the data below the light changeable material will be obscured prior to reading.

The rotational speed, i.e., the time taken for the reader to return to the same portion of the optical medium, is different for the conventional CD and DVD. The duration of the activated state must last at least as long as the following length. If it is 120 mm in diameter and has a rotational speed of about 1.2 m / sec, the light changeable material disposed on the CD should exhibit a persistence of at least about 300 msec. If the duration is too short, the active state will not obscure the underlying data when resampled. Of course, if the duration is too long, data on the optical medium will not be able to be read within an acceptable time after activation of the light changeable material. The duration of certain inorganic light changeable materials, such as zinc sulfide, can be controlled by changing the particle size or by inserting certain metals or ions into the crystal lattice of zinc sulfide (ZnS) or ZnS-SiO ₂ , for example For example, the fluorescence duration of ZnS can be altered by doping it at various concentrations with different ions or metals such as Eu, Sm, Tb, Cu, Mn, Al, and Mg.

The particle size is preferably less than 100 nm, more preferably less than 10 nm and should not be larger than the pit size of the optical medium being read out. (It is about 0.8 micrometers for conventional CDs and about 0.4 micrometers for conventional DVDs.) The light changeable material must be placed on the optical medium in such a way that the coating is not too thick to cause dispersion and non-aggregation. do. Preferably, any coating of light changeable material should be less than 100 nm. When the light changeable material changes reflectivity upon activation, the refractive index on the pit / land based on the optical medium should be at least about 0.3 to 0.4 to correspond to the change in refractive index between the pit and the land.

The present invention can be used with conventional optical media such as CD and DVD. The invention also provides for the use of "lead-only" CDs and, DVDs, and mixed lead only / writable or writable data formats, and other physical optical media formats, with minimal changes in manufacturing equipment and lines. It may also be included in current mass production technologies. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the present invention may be used with writable or writable data types, although more changes in manufacturing equipment may be required.

Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a lead-only optical storage medium 10 of the prior art storing pre-recorded data in a manner that can be read into a radiation beam interacting with the medium. The transparent polycarbonate substrate layer 12, or similar material having light transmissive properties, allows radiation to interact with the recording layer through it. The aluminum reflective layer 14 is found in close proximity to the polycarbonate substrate layer 12. Polycarbonate layer 12 is fabricated from data stored as a surface structure as shown by lands 16 and pits 18. The aluminum reflective layer 14 is arranged in such a way as to provide a surface that retains the overall structure of the polycarbonate surface. The protective overcoat layer 2 is applied to the aluminum reflective layer 14 in an uncured state and cured by ultraviolet radiation. Shown in FIG. 1 are laser beams interacting with the position on the pit 51 and laser beams interacting with the land 53.

5 is a flow chart of a conventional conventional injection molding technique for making lead-only optical media. Fabrication of the optical medium begins with premastering 22 (formatting) of the data. The premastered data is used to adjust the laser used in the glass mastering step 24 to remove the photoresist material from the photoresist coated glass plate. The photoresist material is burned by a laser, the photoresist is cured and the unexposed photoresist is cleaned, and the resulting data retaining glass mast is then electroformed with a metal such as Ag or Ni, which in the case of a disc Form a known father. The father disk can be used as a template to make a mirror image disc, which is known in the art as a mother disk (step 28). The mother disk is used to make an optical replica of the father disk (step 30) and such disk is referred to as the child disk. Child disks are referred to as stampers when used to make several disks in an injection molding machine. If an entire disk "family" is not made, the father disk can be used directly as a stamper.

The injection molding molding step 32 uses a stamper to form a strain in the manufacturing disc that displays the premastered data of the premastering step 22. The optical medium produced can then be removed from the mold and have a cooling period known in the art as buffering step 34. The surface of the polycarbonate substrate that maintains the deformation is coated with metal in the metal sputtering step 36. In the metal sputtering step 36, the metal is coated above and below the strain to form a metal layer over the polycarbonate substrate. The metal layer and the nonmetallic polycarbonate substrate surface are coated with a protective polymer, typically a lacquer, in spin coating step 38. The spin coated layers are cured in the UV curing step 40. The optical medium is then inspected in the visual inspection step 42 and the optical medium is allowed or rejected.

FIG. 6 is a schematic flow chart of the preferred method of the present invention for making a lead only optical medium with minor modifications to the conventional injection molding for making a lead only optical disc of the type shown in FIG. As shown in the flowchart, additional steps 46 and 48 are added to the conventional method shown in FIG. The light changeable material is imprinted on the surface of the mold that is not impressed with the child disk (ie stamper) in step 46, while the molding material is sufficient to not damage the light changeable properties of the material. After cooling, and after the molded substrate is removed from the molding apparatus, the stamper is still in contact with the molding material. Imprinting is for example gravure, laser printing, mylar screen printing, drop-on-demand printing, CIJ or imprinting materials in the art. The resulting optical medium may be added with a second polycarbonate substrate or protective layer over a surface printed with a light changeable material to protect such material against the external environment. 48), as shown in FIG. 5 above. 2 shows spin coating layer 50, metallization layer 52, impressed polycarbonate layer 54, light changeable material 56, bonding material layer 58, and a second embodiment by such a technique. A cross-sectional view of an exemplary optical storage medium prepared with polycarbonate layer 60.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a schematic flow chart of a preferred method of the present invention for making a lead-only optical medium with minor modifications to the conventional injection molding for producing a lead-only optical medium of the type shown in FIG. 3. Is shown. The flow chart of FIG. 7 differs from the flow chart of the conventional technique for making the lead-only optical medium of FIG. 5, in that it includes the step 62 of printing a light changeable material onto a second polycarbonate material. Do. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, step 62 may be concurrent with, before or after injection molding of the first substrate. The second polycarbonate substrate is secured to a metalized polycarbonate medium having information pits at step 64, which may be performed at other steps in the art as would be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, the first substrate may be metal sputtered at the same time that the light changeable material is imprinted on the second substrate. The attachment of the second polycarbonate substrate may be by hot melting or by a bonding material. 3 shows spin coating layer 50, metallization layer 52, pressed polycarbonate layer 54, light changeable material 56, bonding material layer 58, and second polycarbonate layer 60 by such techniques. Is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary optical storage medium prepared with a.

4 is a cross-sectional view of another optical storage medium of the present invention, wherein the photosensitive material is located in layer 66 separated from the content data. The photosensitive material may be printed on layer 66 by, for example, an ink jet printer. The optical medium of FIG. 4 may be printed onto layer 66 by UV curing step 40 of FIG. 5, wherein photosensitive material layer 66 may be disposed over spin coated lacquer layer 68 and ejected. It is located on top of the data holding the forming layer 70. Another spin-coated racker layer 72 is shown lying on top of layer 66 in the figure to protect it against damage.

Although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art can make various changes and / or modifications to the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Will be easily understood. All documents cited herein are hereby incorporated in their entirety.

Claims (105)

Shaping the substrate to have a second major surface that is relatively flat with the first major surface having the information pits; Disposing a light changeable material on or in the second major surface; Sealing the second major surface with the light changeable material with a protective material to protect the photosensitive material from the surrounding environment. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises polycarbonate. The method of claim 1 wherein the light changing material is an organic material. The method of claim 1 wherein the light changing material is an inorganic material. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the organic light changing material is capable of emitting light. 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the organic light changing material comprises a cyanine compound. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the organic light changing material can be excited by a light source emitting light at a wavelength between about 770 and about 830 nm. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the organic light changing material can be excited by a light source emitting at a wavelength between about 630 nm and 650 nm. The method of claim 4 wherein the inorganic light changing material is capable of emitting light. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the light changeable material of inorganic light emission can be excited by a light source emitting light at a wavelength between about 770 nm and 830 nm. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the light changeable material of inorganic light emission can be excited by a light source that emits light at a wavelength between about 630 nm and 650 nm. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the inorganic light changeable material is a material capable of experiencing a phase change from an amorphous state to a crystalline state by energy absorption from one or more wavelengths of light. The method of claim 12, wherein the light changeable material of the inorganic phase change is selected from the group comprising GeSbTe, InSbTe, InSe, AsTeGe, TeO _x -GeSn, TeSeSn, SbSeBi, BiSeGe, and AgInSbTe. The method of claim 1, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit a wavelength length of about 530 nm. The method of claim 1, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit a wavelength in the range between about 400 nm and about 900 nm. The method of claim 1, wherein the light changing material can be excited by a light source emitting at about 780 nm and a light source emitting light at about 530 nm. The method of claim 1, wherein the light changing material is in a separated position on the second major surface of the substrate. The method of claim 1 wherein the light changeable material is disposed diffused by spin coating on the second major surface of the substrate. The method of claim 1, Metallizing the first major surface; Sealing said metallized first major surface to protect said metal from an ambient environment. Obtaining a first substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface; Disposing a light changeable material on one major surface or both major surfaces of the first substrate; Obtaining a second substrate having a first and a second major surface, the first major surface having an information pit thereon; Fixing the first substrate having the photosensitive material to the first or second major surface of the second substrate. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein said first substrate comprises polycarbonate. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein said second substrate comprises polycarbonate. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein said first substrate comprises a polymer film. The method of claim 20, wherein the light changeable material is a light emitting compound. The method of claim 20, wherein the light changeable material comprises an inorganic or organic compound. 27. The method of claim 25, wherein the light changeable material can be excited by a light source emitting light at a wavelength between about 770 nm and about 830 nm. The method of claim 25, wherein the light changeable material is excited by a light source emitting at a wavelength between about 630 nm and about 650 nm. 27. The method of claim 25, wherein the inorganic light changeable material is a material capable of experiencing a phase change from an amorphous state to a crystalline state by energy absorption from one or more wavelengths of light. The method of claim 28, wherein the light changeable material of the inorganic phase change is selected from the group comprising GeSbTe, InSbTe, InSe, AsTeGe, TeO _x -GeSn, TeSeSn, SbSeBi, BiSeGe, and AgInSbTe. The method of claim 25, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit at 780 nm. The method of claim 25, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit at 530 nm. The method of claim 25, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit wavelengths in the range of about 400 nm to about 900 nm. The method of claim 25, wherein the light changeable material can be excited by a light source emitting light at a wavelength of about 780 nm and a light source emitting at a wavelength of about 530 nm. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the light changeable material is disposed in separate locations. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the light changeable material is applied diffused by spin coating. Obtaining a substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface, the first major surface having pits and lands thereon; Placing a light changeable material in said information pit or land; Metallizing said first major surface of said substrate having information pits thereon; Disposing an overcoat layer along the metallized surface. 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the light changeable material is an organic material. 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the light changeable material is an inorganic material. 38. The method of claim 37, wherein the organic light changeable material is capable of emitting light. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein the organic light changeable material comprises a cyanine compound. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein the organic light changeable material can be excited by a light source emitting light at a wavelength between about 770 nm and about 830 nm. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein the organic light changeable material can be excited by a light source emitting at a wavelength between about 630 nm and about 650 nm. 39. The method of claim 38, wherein the inorganic light changeable material is capable of emitting light. 44. The method of claim 43, wherein the light changeable material of inorganic light emission can be excited by a light source that emits light at a wavelength between about 770 nm and about 830 nm. 44. The method of claim 43, wherein the light changeable material of inorganic light emission can be excited by a light source that emits light at a wavelength between about 630 nm and about 650 nm. 71. The method of claim 70, wherein the inorganic light changeable material is a material capable of experiencing a phase change from an amorphous state to a crystalline state by energy absorption from one or more light wavelengths of light. 46. The method of claim 45, wherein the light changeable material of the inorganic phase change is selected from the group comprising GeSbTe, InSbTe, InSe, AsTeGe, TeO _x -GeSn, TeSeSn, SbSeBi, BiSeGe, and AgInSbTe. 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit a wavelength length of about 530 nm. The method of claim 36, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit a wavelength in the range of about 400 nm to about 900 nm. 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the light changeable material can be excited by a light source emitting at a wavelength of about 780 nm and a light source emitting light at about 530 nm. 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the light changeable material is disposed in a separate position on the second major surface of the substrate. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the light changeable material is applied diffused onto the second major surface of the substrate by spin coating. Obtaining a first substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface, the first major surface or the second major surface, or both major surfaces having a detectable registration mark; Imprinting a light changeable material on a selected portion on the first major surface of the first substrate layer; A first major surface and a second major surface, wherein the first major surface of the second substrate layer has information pits thereon, and either or both of the first or second major surfaces are detected Obtaining a second substrate having a possible registration mark; Fixing the second major surface of the second substrate along the first major surface of the first substrate such that the detectable registration marks overlap each other; Metallizing the first major surface of the second substrate layer having the information pits; Disposing a first overcoat layer along the metallized surface; And, Selectively disposing a second overcoat layer along the second major surface of the first substrate layer. 55. The method of claim 53, wherein the first substrate comprises polycarbonate. 54. The method of claim 53, wherein said second substrate comprises polycarbonate. 54. The method of claim 53, wherein the light changeable material is a light emitting compound. 59. The method of claim 56, wherein the light changeable material comprises a cyanine compound. 59. The method of claim 56, wherein the light changeable material can be excited by a light source that emits light at a wavelength between about 770 nm and about 830 nm. 59. The method of claim 56, wherein the light changeable material can be excited by a light source emitting at a wavelength between about 630 nm and about 650 nm. 59. The method of claim 56, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit at 780 nm. 59. The method of claim 56, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit at 530 nm. 59. The method of claim 56, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit wavelengths in the range of about 400 nm to about 900 nm. 74. The method of claim 73, wherein the light changeable material can be excited by a light source emitting light at a wavelength of about 780 nm and a light source emitting at about 530 nm. 59. The method of claim 56, wherein the light changeable material is disposed in separate locations. 59. The method of claim 56, wherein the light changeable material is applied diffused by spin coating. A first substrate layer having a first major surface and a second major surface, the first major surface of the first substrate layer having a light changeable material thereon; A second substrate layer having a first major surface and a second major surface, wherein the first major surface of the second substrate layer has information pits thereon, and the second major surface is the first substrate surface of the first substrate layer. A second substrate layer disposed along one major surface; A metal reflective layer disposed along the first major surface of the second substrate layer; A first overcoat layer disposed along the metal reflective layer; And, And a second overcoat layer selectively disposed along the second major surface of the first substrate layer. A substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface, the first major surface having information pits and lands thereon; And a polymer film disposed over said first major surface, said polymer film comprising a polymer film having a light changeable material disposed over one or more of said information pits and lands. 68. The method of claim 67, wherein the light changeable material is a light emissive material. 69. The method of claim 68, wherein the light changeable material is a light absorbing material. 69. The method of claim 68, wherein the light changeable material is a photosensitive material. 69. The method of claim 68, wherein the light changeable material is capable of emitting light. 69. The method of claim 68, wherein the light changeable material is a luminescent material. 69. The method of claim 68, wherein the light changeable material is a phosphorescent material. A substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface, the first major surface having an information pit and an information land thereon; A metal reflective layer disposed along the information pits and the information lands; And a polymer film positioned on the metal reflective layer, the polymer film comprising a light changeable material, And the metal reflective layer has a plurality of through discontinuities therein that allow laser light oriented through the second major surface to strike the polymer film of the light changeable material. 75. The multilayer optical medium of claim 74 wherein the substrate comprises polycarbonate. 75. The multilayer optical medium of claim 74 wherein the light changeable material is an organic material. 75. The multilayer optical medium of claim 74 wherein the light changeable material is an inorganic material. 77. The multilayer optical medium of claim 76, wherein the organic light changeable material is capable of emitting light. 78. The multilayer optical medium of claim 77 wherein the inorganic light changeable material is capable of emitting light. 77. The multilayer optical medium of claim 76, wherein the organic light changeable material comprises a cyanine compound. 77. The multilayer optical medium of claim 76, wherein the organic light changeable material can be excited by a light source that emits light at a wavelength between about 770 nm and about 830 nm. 77. The multilayer optical medium of claim 76, wherein the organic light changeable material can be excited by a light source emitting at a wavelength between about 630 nm and about 650 nm. 80. The multilayer optical medium of claim 79, wherein the inorganic light emissive light changeable material can be excited by a light source that emits light at a wavelength between about 770 nm and about 830 nm. 80. The multilayer optical medium of claim 79, wherein the inorganic light emissive light changeable material can be excited by a light source that emits light at a wavelength between about 630 nm and about 650 nm. 80. The method of claim 79, wherein the inorganic light changeable material is a material capable of undergoing a phase change from an amorphous state to a crystalline state by energy absorption from one or more wavelengths of light. 80. The method of claim 79, wherein the inorganic light changeable material is selected from the group comprising GeSbTe, InSbTe, InSe, AsTeGe, TeO _x -GeSn, TeSeSn, SbSeBi, BiSeGe, and AgInSbTe. 75. The method of claim 74, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit a wavelength length of about 530 nm. 75. The method of claim 74, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit wavelengths in the range of about 400 nm to about 900 nm. 75. The method of claim 74, wherein the light changeable material can be excited by a light source emitting at a wavelength of about 780 nm and a light source emitting light at about 530 nm. Obtaining a substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface, the first major surface having a substrate having information pits and lands thereon; Metalizing the first major surface to form a metallized layer along the information pits and lands; Disposing a polymer layer having a light changeable material over the metallized layer; Forming a plurality of holes in the metal layer. 93. The method of claim 90, wherein said substrate comprises polycarbonate. 93. The method of claim 90, wherein the light changeable material is an organic material. 93. The method of claim 90, wherein the light changeable material is an inorganic material. 93. The method of claim 92, wherein the organic light changeable material is capable of emitting light. 93. The method of claim 92, wherein the organic light changeable material comprises a cyanine compound. 95. The method of claim 94, wherein the organic light changeable material can be excited by a light source that emits light at a wavelength between about 770 nm and about 830 nm. 95. The method of claim 94, wherein the organic light changeable material can be excited by a light source emitting at a wavelength between about 630 nm and about 650 nm. 94. The method of claim 93, wherein the inorganic light changeable material is capable of emitting light. 99. The method of claim 98, wherein the light changeable material of inorganic light emission can be excited by a light source that emits light at a wavelength between about 770 nm and about 830 nm. 99. The method of claim 98, wherein the light changeable material of inorganic light emission can be excited by a light source that emits light at a wavelength between about 630 nm and about 650 nm. 95. The method of claim 93, wherein the inorganic light changeable material is a material capable of undergoing a phase change from an amorphous state to a crystalline state by energy absorption from one or more wavelengths of light. 94. The method of claim 93, wherein the light changeable material of the inorganic phase change is selected from the group comprising GeSbTe, InSbTe, InSe, AsTeGe, TeO _x -GeSn, TeSeSn, SbSeBi, BiSeGe, and AgInSbTe. 93. The method of claim 90, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit a wavelength length of about 530 nm. 93. The method of claim 90, wherein the light changeable material is adapted to emit a wavelength in the range of about 400 nm to about 900 nm. 93. The method of claim 90, wherein the light changeable material can be excited by a light source emitting at a wavelength of about 780 nm and a light source emitting light at a wavelength of about 530 nm.