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US4592982A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Photoconductive member of layer of A-Ge, A-Si increasing (O) and layer of A-Si(C) or (N)

Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1984-10-29
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Granted: 1986-06-03
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Expires: 2004-10-29
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Abstract

Abstract A photoconductive member is provided which has 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, 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.

Inventors

  • 👤 Keishi Saitoh
  • 👤 Yukihiko Ohnuki
  • 👤 Shigeru Ohno

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 09:08
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G5/00; G03G5/02; G03G5/04; G03G5/08; G03G5/082; G03G5/08292; G03G5/08214; G03G5/08221; G03G5/08228; G03G5/08235; G03G5/08242

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.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4490450A Cited
US4491626A Cited
US4495262A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-06-02 1989-12-02 1990-06-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-06-02 1993-12-02 1994-06-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-06-02 1997-12-02 1998-06-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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