FIELD: technology of recording and playback of information by optical radiation. SUBSTANCE: information carrier has substrate of translucent material, recording medium including layer of metal or of alloy of metals with thickness of 5.0-30,0 nm and layer chemically active with regard to it. Reflecting layer of recording medium is based on compounds of elements of main subgroup of sixth group of Mendeleyev's periodic system with elements of main subgroups of fourth and fifth groups. Carrier can have multilevel structure. Acting by pulse laser beam on reflecting layer of recording medium one initiates effect of its photodiffusion in layer chemically active with regard to it causing formation of translucent and opaque pits. EFFECT: raised reliability of information storage, capacity and optical contrast with expansion of class of used materials, reduced production cost. 8 cl, 4 dwg
