What Is Blu-ray Disc?

BD-R 25GB	BD-R 50GB	BD-RE 25GB	BD-RE 50GB
BD-R (write-once type)		BD-RE (rewritable type)

TDK Corporation has commenced shipment of mass-production samples of so-called bare-type (i.e., cartridge-less) versions of its BD-R (write-once type) and BD-RE (rewritable type) Blu-ray DVD media. The four new products include the BD-R25 (single-side, single-layer, 25GB) and BD-R50 (single-side, dual-layer, 50GB) write-once types, and BD-RE25 (single-side, single-layer, 25GB) and BD-RE50 (single-side, dual-layer, 50GB) rewritable types.

Blu-ray Discs were initially introduced with protective cartridges to protect against data destroying dirt and scratches. Dirt and scratches are fatal to Blu-ray Discs because of their higher density recording capabilities. The BD-R and BD-RE Blu-ray Discs that were launched this time make use of DURABIS 2, a hard coating technology originally developed by TDK. This produces a recording surface that is highly resistance to dirt, scratches, and particularly fingerprint smudges. This thereby enables anxiety-free use of a cartridge-less disc.

In order to form the cover layer above the disc's recording layer, an original high-precision spin coating is utilized, rendering smoothness at the nano-level while stsabilizing recording and playback characteristics.

The BD-R write-once type makes use of an inorganic material in the recording layer that is entirely different from the organic dye used in previous types of write-once type discs. Because the recording layer is not affected by light, it produces a disc with outstanding archivability. Furthermore, the BD-RE rewritable type utilizes a high-sensitivity phase-change material that stabilizes characteristics in the form of a low error rate, even after 10,000 overwrites.

In addition, the 50GB capacity single-sided, dual-layer disc, harnesses high-precision stacking technology that resulted from years of optical disc development. The upper layer (Layer 1) and lower layer (Layer 0) are combined in terms of high sensitivity and recording layer transparency ratio that stabilizes recording and playback characteristics.

The commitment of TDK's advanced optical disc technology has resulted in creation of the world's first 25GB and 50GB high-capacity discs capable of 2X recording speed. TDK is confident that the BD-R and BD-RE, freed from the confines of a cartridge, will offer their large capacities with greater facility, and thus greatly expands the potential of optical recording.

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