A mixture of polyfunctional (meth)acrylate compound containing a C2-50 alcohol residue (100 parts),0.01-10 parts by wt of a radical initiatior and optionally up to 10 wt % of another radical polymerisable monomer as viscosity controller (e.g. styrene) is poured into a mold (formed by a ring on a glass plate), and polymerised at 10-200°C for not more than 2 hours under heating, light or electron beam irradiation, until the glass transition temperature (Tg) is 10 to 100°C, and the transparent plastics disc formed is removed from the mold without breakage.
The substrate is then post-cured on a flat surface by heating or UV or electron beam irradiation until its Tg is 150°C, and preferably further post-cured until its Tg is 200°C, to remove residual strain and double bonds.
A recording layer for an optical or magneto-optical disc is formed on the substrate; a higher post-curing temperature reduces the number of pinholes in the layer.