Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A photoconductive member, having a substrate for photoconductive member, and a light receiving layer comprising ( 1) a first layer with a layer constitution in which a first layer region (G) comprising an amorphous material containing germanium atoms and a second layer region (S) exhibiting photoconductivity comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms are successively provided on said substrate from the aforesaid substrate side, and (2) a second layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and at least one of carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms, said first layer having a layer region (O) containing oxygen atoms, comprising a zone wherein the depth profile of oxygen atoms in the layer thickness direction in said layer region (O) is increased smoothly and continuously toward the upper end surface of the first layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
A photoconductive member, having a substrate for photoconductive member, and a light receiving layer comprising ( 1) a first layer with a layer constitution in which a first layer region (G) comprising an amorphous material containing germanium atoms and a second layer region (S) exhibiting photoconductivity comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms are successively provided on said substrate from the aforesaid substrate side, and (2) a second layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and at least one of carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms, said first layer having a layer region (O) containing oxygen atoms, comprising a zone wherein the depth profile of oxygen atoms in the layer thickness direction in said layer region (O) is increased smoothly and continuously toward the upper end surface of the first layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein hydrogen atoms are contained in at least one of the first layer region (G) and the second layer region (S).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein halogen atoms are contained at least one of the first layer region (G) and the second layer region (S).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein the germanium atoms are distributed in the layer region (G) ununiformly in the layer thickness direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein the germanium atoms are distributed in the layer region (G) uniformly in the layer thickness direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A photocondutive member according to claim 1, wherein the substance (C) for controlling conductivity is contained in the light receiving layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 6, wherein the substance (C) for controlling conductivity is an atom belonging to the group III of the periodic table.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 6, wherein the substance (C) for controlling conductivity is an atom belonging to the group V of the periodic table.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein silicon atoms are contained in the first layer region (G).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein the amount of germanium atoms contained in the first layer region (G) is in the range of from 1 to 1×10 6 atomic ppm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein the first layer region (G) has a layer thickness ranging from 30 Å to 50μ.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein the second layer region (S) has a layer thickness ranging from 0.5 to 90μ.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein the layer thickness T B of the first layer region (G) and the layer thickness T of the second layer region (S) satisfy the relation of T B /T≦1.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 3, wherein halogen atoms are selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein the content of oxygen atoms in the layer region (O) is in the range of from 0.001 to 50 atomic %.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
57 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein the upper limit of the content of the oxygen atoms in said layer region (O) is not more than 30 atomic %, when the layer thickness T O of the layer region (O) containing oxygen atoms comprises 2/5 or more of the layer thickness T of the light-receiving layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein 0.01 to 40 atomic % of hydrogen atoms are contained in the first layer region (G).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein 0.01 to 40 atomic % of halogen atoms are contained in the first layer region (G).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein 0.01 to 40 atomic % as the total of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms are contained in the first layer region (G).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein 1 to 40 atomic % of hydrogen atoms are contained in the second layer region (S).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein 1 to 40 atomic % of halogen atoms are contained in the second layer region (S).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein 1 to 40 atomic % as the total of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms are contained in the second layer region (S).
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 7, wherein the atom belonging to the group III of the periodic table is selected from the group consisting of B, Al, Ba, In and Tl.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 8, wherein the atom belonging to the group V of the periodic table is selected from the group consisting of P, As, Sb and Bi.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein the first layer has a layer region (PN) containing a substance (C) for controlling conductivity on the substrate side.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 25, wherein the content of the substance (C) for controlling conductivity in the layer region (PN) is in the range of from 0.01 to 5×10 4 atomic ppm.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 25, wherein the content of the substance (C) in the layer region (PN) is 30 atomic ppm or more.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein the first layer has a depletion layer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
36 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein the amorphous material constituting the second layer (II) is an amorphous material represented by the following formula: a-(Si.sub.x C.sub.1-x).sub.y (H,X).sub.1-y (where 0<x, y<1, X is a halogen atom).
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
36 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein the amorphous material constituting the second layer (II) is an amorphous material represented by the following formula: a-(Si.sub.x N.sub.1-x).sub.y (H,X).sub.1-y (where 0<x, y<1, X is a halogen atom).
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
A photoconductive member according to claim 1, wherein the second layer (II) has a layer thickness ranging from 0.003 to 30μ.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
152 words
An electrophotographic process which comprises: (a) applying a charging treatment to a photoconductive member, and a light receiving layer comprising (1) a first layer with a layer constitution in which a first layer region (G) comprising an amorphous material containing germanium atoms and a second layer region (S) exhibiting photoconductivity comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms are successively provided on said substrate from the aforesaid substrate side, and (2) a second layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and at least one of carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms, said first layer having a layer region (O) containing oxygen atoms, comprising a zone wherein the depth profile of oxygen atoms in the layer thickness direction in said layer region (O) is increased smoothly and continuously toward the upper end surface of the first layer; and (b) irradiating said photoconductive member with an electromagnetic wave carrying information, thereby forming an electrostatic image.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
152 words
An electrophotographic process which comprises: (a) applying a charging treatment to a photoconductive member, and a light receiving layer comprising (1) a first layer with a layer constitution in which a first layer region (G) comprising an amorphous material containing germanium atoms and a second layer region (S) exhibiting photoconductivity comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms are successively provided on said substrate from the aforesaid substrate side, and (2) a second layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and at least one of carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms, said first layer having a layer region (O) containing oxygen atoms, comprising a zone wherein the depth profile of oxygen atoms in the layer thickness direction in said layer region (O) is increased smoothly and continuously toward the upper end surface of the first layer; and (b) irradiating said photoconductive member with an electromagnetic wave carrying information, thereby forming an electrostatic image.