An optical information recording medium is provided in which the active layer is a phase change material capable of absorbing energy and being converted between a substantially amorphous state and a substantially crystalline state. The active layer contains nitrogen, which may be in the form of a nitride or nitrides of the constituent elements of the active layer, or may be a nitrided surface thereof. The inclusion of nitrogen inhibits localized shifting of the active material, which leads to degradation of the recording/erase properties of the medium. The optical recording medium includes a substrate, onto which is deposited in sequence a first dielectric layer, a nitrogen-containing active layer, a second dielectric layer, and a metallic reflecting layer. The second dielectric layer is made thin, so that the cooling rate of the active layer is increased to form a more uniform amorphous state.