PURPOSE: To obtain an optical recording medium capable of erasing a recording pit even when laser beam is scanned over an optical recording medium layer at a high speed, by providing a recording layer containing polyphenylene sulfide and a light absorbing material on a substrate.

CONSTITUTION: A recording layer containing PPS and a light absorbing material is provided on a substrate. The recording layer may be of a multi-layered structure or a single-layered structure. In the case of a two-layered structure, the light absorbing material layer may be arranged at the side of the substrate with respect to PPS or may be reversed thereto. In order to enhance heat conductivity, the multi-layered structure wherein the light absorbing material layers and the PPS layers are alternately arranged can be employed. Even if the single-layered structure is employed, heat conductivity can be enhanced. By this method, as against the speed of 1mm/sec in conventional Japanese Journal of Applied Physics technique, erasion can be performed at at speed of 20W100 mm/sec. Because writing or erasion by laser can be performed at a practical speed, only a limited portion can be erased.