Patent US4472492A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4472492A
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Method for fabricating and annealing an electrophotographic image forming member
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1983-07-08
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Granted: 1984-09-18
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Expires: 2003-07-08
Abstract
Abstract A method for fabricating an electrophotographic image forming member, wherein the first photoconductive layer consisting of an amorphous inorganic semiconductive material is formed on a substrate suited for the electrophotographic process, then the second photoconductive layer, which is different from the first photoconductive layer and consists of amorphous silicon containing therein silicon as the matrix and at least one of hydrogen and halogen atoms, is formed on the first photoconductive layer, and thereafter, the second photoconductive layer is annealed by irradiating a laser beam on the surface of the second photoconductive layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Junichiro Kanbe
- 👤 Tadaji Fukuda
- 👤 Toru Takahashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 18:37
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/12; H10F77/121; G; G03; G03G; G03G5/00; G03G5/02; G03G5/04; G03G5/043; G03G5/0433; G03G5/08; G03G5/082; G03G5/08214; G03G5/08221; G03G5/08278; H10F71/00; H10F71/10; H10F71/103; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
A method for fabricating an electrophotographic image forming member, which comprises steps of: (a) forming a first photoconductive layer by vacuum-deposition, on a substrate suited for electrophotographic process, of an amorphous inorganic semiconductive material containing therein, as a constituent element, at least one element selected from the group consisting of Se, Te, and S; (b) subsequently forming a second photoconductive layer on the surface of said first photoconductive layer by electric discharge decomposition of a raw material gas for forming an amorphous silicon, said raw material gas containing silicon atom as the matrix and at least one of hydrogen and halogen atoms; and (c) annealing said second photoconductive layer at a temperature above the crystallization temperature of said first photoconductive layer by irradiating said second photoconductive layer with a laser beam from the free surface side thereof under conditions sufficient to prevent said first photoconductive layer from reaching its crystallization temperature and for maintaining the second photoconductive layer in the amorphous state.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
162 words
A method for fabricating an electrophotographic image forming member, which comprises steps of: (a) forming a first photoconductive layer by vacuum-deposition, on a substrate suited for electrophotographic process, of an amorphous inorganic semiconductive material containing therein, as a constituent element, at least one element selected from the group consisting of Se, Te, and S; (b) subsequently forming a second photoconductive layer on the surface of said first photoconductive layer by electric discharge decomposition of a raw material gas for forming an amorphous silicon, said raw material gas containing silicon atom as the matrix and at least one of hydrogen and halogen atoms; and (c) annealing said second photoconductive layer at a temperature above the crystallization temperature of said first photoconductive layer by irradiating said second photoconductive layer with a laser beam from the free surface side thereof under conditions sufficient to prevent said first photoconductive layer from reaching its crystallization temperature and for maintaining the second photoconductive layer in the amorphous state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said raw material gas is at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon hydrides, silicon halides, and halogen-substituted silicon hydrides.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said silicon hydride is one selected from the group consisting of SiH 4 , Si 2 H 6 , Si 3 H 8 , and Si 4 H 10 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said silicon halide is one selected from the group consisting of SiF 4 , Si 2 F 6 , SiCl 4 , and SiBr 4 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said halogen-substituted silicon hydride is one selected from the group consisting of SiH 2 F 2 , SiH 2 Cl 2 , SiHCl 3 , SiH 2 Br 2 , and SiHBr 3 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electric discharge is a glow discharge.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said annealing step of said second photoconductive layer by the laser beam is effected at a temperature higher than the crystallizing temperature of said first photoconductive layer by establishing values of a laser beam intensity and an irradiating time thereof in such a manner not to cause said first photoconductive layer to reach its crystallizing temperature when said second photoconductive layer is annealed.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for fabricating an electrophotographic image forming member, which comprises steps of: (a) forming a first photoconductive layer composed of an amorphous inorganic semiconductive material on a substrate suited for the electrophotographic process; (b) forming a second photoconductive layer on said first photoconductive layer, which is different from said first photoconductive layer and is composed of amorphous silicon containing silicon atom as the matrix and at least one of halogen and hydrogen atoms; and (c) annealing said second photoconductive layer at a temperature above the crystallization temperature of said first photoconductive layer by projecting a laser beam onto the surface of said second photoconductive layer under conditions sufficient to prevent said first photoconductive layer from reaching its crystallization temperature and for maintaining the second photoconductive layer in the amorphous state.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for fabricating an electrophotographic image forming member, which comprises steps of: (a) forming a first photoconductive layer composed of an amorphous inorganic semiconductive material on a substrate suited for the electrophotographic process; (b) forming a second photoconductive layer on said first photoconductive layer, which is different from said first photoconductive layer and is composed of amorphous silicon containing silicon atom as the matrix and at least one of halogen and hydrogen atoms; and (c) annealing said second photoconductive layer at a temperature above the crystallization temperature of said first photoconductive layer by projecting a laser beam onto the surface of said second photoconductive layer under conditions sufficient to prevent said first photoconductive layer from reaching its crystallization temperature and for maintaining the second photoconductive layer in the amorphous state.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein said amorphous inorganic semiconductive material is at least one selected from the group consisting of Se, Te, and S.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein said second photoconductive layer contains 1 to 40 atomic % of hydrogen atom.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein said second photoconductive layer contains 1 to 40 atomic % of halogen atom.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein said halogen atom is one selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for fabricating an electrophotographic image forming member, which comprises steps of: (a) forming a first photoconductive layer consisting of an amorphous inorganic semiconductive material on a substrate suited for the electrophotographic process; (b) forming a second photoconductive layer on said first photoconductive layer, which is different from said first photoconductive layer and is composed of amorphous silicon containing silicon atom as the matrix and at least one of hydrogen and halogen atoms; and (c) thereafter, annealing said second photoconductive layer at a temperature above the crystallizing temperature of said first photoconductive layer by irradiating the surface of said second photoconductive layer with a laser beam, the intensity and the irradiating time of which have been so set that said first photoconductive layer may not attain its crystallizing temperature and for maintaining the second photoconductive layer in the amorphous state.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for fabricating an electrophotographic image forming member, which comprises steps of: (a) forming a first photoconductive layer consisting of an amorphous inorganic semiconductive material on a substrate suited for the electrophotographic process; (b) forming a second photoconductive layer on said first photoconductive layer, which is different from said first photoconductive layer and is composed of amorphous silicon containing silicon atom as the matrix and at least one of hydrogen and halogen atoms; and (c) thereafter, annealing said second photoconductive layer at a temperature above the crystallizing temperature of said first photoconductive layer by irradiating the surface of said second photoconductive layer with a laser beam, the intensity and the irradiating time of which have been so set that said first photoconductive layer may not attain its crystallizing temperature and for maintaining the second photoconductive layer in the amorphous state.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said raw material gas is at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon hydrides, silicon halides, and halogen-substituted silicon hydrides.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said silicon hydride is one selected from the group consisting of SiH 4 , Si 2 H 6 , Si 3 H 8 , and Si 4 H 10 .
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said silicon halide is one selected from the group consisting of SiF 4 , Si 2 F 6 , SiCl 4 , and SiBr 4 .
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said halogen-substituted silicon hydride is one selected from the group consisting of SiH 2 F 2 , SiH 2 Cl 2 , SiHCl 3 , SiH 2 Br 2 , and SiHBr 3 .
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said electric discharge is a glow discharge.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for fabricating an electrophotographic image forming member, which comprises steps of: (a) forming a first photoconductive layer composed of an amorphous inorganic semiconductive material on a substrate suited for the electrophotographic process to a thickness of from 10 to 100μ; (b) forming a second photoconductive layer on said first photoconductive layer to a thickness of from 0.2 to 10μ, said second photoconductive layer being different from said first photoconductive layer and composed of amorphous silicon containing silicon atom as the matrix and at least one of hydrogen and halogen atoms; and (c) thereafter, annealing said second photoconductive layer at a temperature above the crystallizing temperature of said first photoconductive layer by irradiating the surface of said second photoconductive layer with a laser beam, the intensity and the irradiating time of which have been so set that said first photoconductive layer may not attain its crystallizing temperature and for maintaining the second photoconductive layer in the amorphous state.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for fabricating an electrophotographic image forming member, which comprises steps of: (a) forming a first photoconductive layer composed of an amorphous inorganic semiconductive material on a substrate suited for the electrophotographic process to a thickness of from 10 to 100μ; (b) forming a second photoconductive layer on said first photoconductive layer to a thickness of from 0.2 to 10μ, said second photoconductive layer being different from said first photoconductive layer and composed of amorphous silicon containing silicon atom as the matrix and at least one of hydrogen and halogen atoms; and (c) thereafter, annealing said second photoconductive layer at a temperature above the crystallizing temperature of said first photoconductive layer by irradiating the surface of said second photoconductive layer with a laser beam, the intensity and the irradiating time of which have been so set that said first photoconductive layer may not attain its crystallizing temperature and for maintaining the second photoconductive layer in the amorphous state.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as set forth in claim 19, wherein said raw material gas is at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon hydride, silicon halides, and halogen-substituted silicon hydrides.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as set forth in claim 19, wherein said silicon hydride is one selected from the group consisting of SiH 4 , Si 2 H 6 , Si 3 H 8 , and Si 4 H 10 .
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as set forth in claim 19, wherein said silicon halide is one selected from the group consisting of SiF 4 , Si 2 F 6 , SiCl 4 , and SiBr 4 .
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method as set forth in claim 19, wherein said halogen-substituted silicon hydride is one selected from the group consisting of SiH 2 F 2 , SiH 2 Cl 2 , SiHCl 3 , SiH 2 Br 2 , and SiHBr 3 .
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as set forth in claim 19, wherein said electric discharge is a glow discharge.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-09-18 | 1988-03-19 | 1988-09-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-09-18 | 1992-03-19 | 1992-09-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-09-18 | 1996-03-19 | 1996-09-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |