Optical recording using hydrogen phthalocyanine thin films

The preparation and performance of optical recording media made from thin films of blue dye hydrogen pthalocyanine (H2Pc) are discussed. Results of experimental investigations of the thermal, hydrolytic and oxidative properties of the films are presented, for hole-forming and trilayer structures with H2Pc as the active layer. A bubble forming medium with H2Pc as the absorbable and vaporizable layer was also investigated. It is found that the stability of H2Pc films throughout the range of thermal, oxidative, and electrolytic test conditions makes it a promising material for archival data storage applications. The sublimation of H2Pc films appears to be a versatile writing mechanism, allowing for the fabrication of a variety of optical recording structures. Antireflection structures incorporating H2Pc show very high contrast and high sensitivity in comparison with tellurium-based recording media. The use of H2Pc in the inverted trilayer bubble-forming medium was found to provide protection of the outer surface layer from dust.