PURPOSE: To allow high-speed printing with high sensitivity by using a phase change recording layer and causing the thermal phase change of this recording layer, thereby printing and recording visual information.

CONSTITUTION: A magnetic recording layer 21, a white layer 22 concealing the magnetic recording layer 21, a thermally and chemically stable dielectric protective layer 23, the phase change recording layer 24, a dielectric protective layer 25, and an org. protective layer 26 are successively laminated on a substrate 20. The phase change recording layer 24 allows printing and recording without forming holes by thermal destruction and is formed by using the material which causes the phase change between an amorphous state and a crystal. The visible information printed by the difference in the double refractive index between the crystalline state and the amorphous state is thus obtd. The phase change is used in such a manner and, therefore, the high-speed printing and recording with low energy are possible.