Information recording medium having parallel grooves with alternating convex-concave sections

Abstract

An information recording medium includes a substrate having a microscopic pattern which has a shape of continous substance of approximately parallel grooves formed with a convex shaped section and a concave shaped section alternating on a surface of the substrate, a recording layer that is formed on the microscopic pattern and a light transmitting layer having thickness of 0.05 mm to 0.12 mm that is formed on the recording layer. The microscopic pattern is formed so as to satisfy a relation of P≦&ggr;/NA, wherein P is a pitch of the convex shaped section or the concave shaped section, &ggr; is a wavelength of reproducing light beam and NA is a numerical aperture of an objective lens. Further, the microscopic pattern has modulated address information formed on both side walls of the convex shaped section that is viewed from the light transmitting layer side as a wobble having same period and phase. Furthermore, even when a laser beam is irradiated on the side opposite to the substrate of the information recording medium, a reproduced signal in high output and high quality can be obtained and and an address and recorded information can be read out accurately.