Magneto-optical recording medium having magnetization variable between in- plane magnetization and perpendicular magnetization

摘要

A magneto-optical recording medium comprising a readout layer, an intermediate layer, and a recording layer. Two light beams having high and low light intensities respectively are applied while applying an external magnetic field. The magnetization direction of the recording layer is changed according to information, by reversing the sub-lattice magnetic moment of the readout layer in the case of the high light intensity. The intermediate layer exhibits a perpendicular magnetization during the irradiation, and also exhibits an in-plane magnetization at room temperature. Since it is not necessary to provide a device for generating a magnetic field for initializing every recording, it is possible to avoid increase in the size of the recording and reproducing apparatus. Moreover, the magnetization direction of the readout layer can be easily controlled with an external magnetic field, and the optical modulation overwriting property can be stabilized.