An optical recording medium of a substrate and a thin metal film laminated thereon formed of a noble metal (A), a chalcogen (B) and bismuth (C) as essential components in amounts within the region of the phase diagram of FIG. 1 defined by the points: a; (A.sub.80 B.sub.15 C.sub.5), b; (A.sub.15 B.sub.80 C.sub.5), c; (A.sub.2 B.sub.80 C.sub.18), d; (A.sub.2 B.sub.49 C.sub.49) and e; (A.sub.80 B.sub.10 C.sub.10), said medium capable of absorbing a laser beam of a specific wavelength region thereby recording information by the pits of cavities formed in the film by the laser beam.