An optical recording method for irradiating an optical recording medium 10
with a laser beam to form recording marks 48A to 48G. The method
includes defining contiguously a virtual recording cell 40 in a displacement
direction S on the recording layer 12, setting reference irradiating time
with the laser beam to five stages or more, and defining a predetermined waiting
time in a neighboring subsequent virtual recording cell 40, corresponding
to the length of the reference irradiating time in the preceding virtual recording
cell 40. The method also includes setting actual irradiating time by subtracting
the waiting time from the reference irradiating time for irradiation of the aforementioned
subsequent virtual recording cell 40. The method further includes irradiating
with the laser beam during the aforementioned actual irradiating time by delaying
the irradiation initiation timing by the waiting time to form at least five types
of recording marks 48A to 48G having different sizes, thereby performing
multi-level recording of information.