US4663258A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Overcoated amorphous silicon imaging members
Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1985-09-30
•
Granted: 1987-05-05
•
Expires: 2005-09-30
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is imaging member comprised of a supporting substrate, a blocking layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon with dopants, a hydrogenated amorphous silicon photoconductive layer, a first overcoating layer of nonstoichiometric silicon nitride with from between 5 to 33 atomic percent of nitrogen and 95 to 67 atomic percent of silicon, and a second overcoating layer thereover of near stoichiometric silicon nitride with from between 33 to 57 atomic percent of nitrogen, and 67 to 43 atomic percent of silicon.
Inventors
- 👤 Damodar M. Pai
- 👤 Paul J. DeFeo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 03:37
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G5/00; G03G5/02; G03G5/04; G03G5/08; G03G5/082; G03G5/08214; G03G5/08235; G03G5/08242
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
An imaging member comprised of a supporting substrate, a blocking layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon with dopants, a hydrogenated amorphous silicon photoconductive layer, a first overcoating layer of nonstoichiometric silicon nitride with from between 5 to 33 atomic percent of nitrogen and 95 to 67 atomic percent of silicon, and a second overcoating layer thereover of near stoichiometric silicon nitride with from between 33 to 57 atomic percent of nitrogen, and 67 to 43 atomic percent of silicon.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
An imaging member comprised of a supporting substrate, a blocking layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon with dopants, a hydrogenated amorphous silicon photoconductive layer, a first overcoating layer of nonstoichiometric silicon nitride with from between 5 to 33 atomic percent of nitrogen and 95 to 67 atomic percent of silicon, and a second overcoating layer thereover of near stoichiometric silicon nitride with from between 33 to 57 atomic percent of nitrogen, and 67 to 43 atomic percent of silicon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the blocking layer is coped with boron.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the dopant is present in an amount of from about 100 parts per million to about 500 parts per million.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the amorphous silicon photoconducting layer contains dopants therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 4 wherein the dopants are present in an amount of from about 3 parts per million to 20 parts per million.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the photoconductive layer is comprised of hydrogenated amorphous silicon doped with boron or simultaneously doped with boron and phosphorous in an amount of from about 2 parts per million to about 100 parts per million.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the photoconductive layer is comprised of a hydrogenated amorphous silicongermanium alloys.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the photoconductive layer is comprised of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon-tin alloy.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the photoconductive layer is comprised of a hydrogenated amorphous carbongermanium alloy.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first overcoating layer is comprised of silicon nitride with from between 95 to 66.6 atomic percent of silicon, and 5 to 33.4 atomic percent of nitrogen.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the second overcoating layer is comprised of silicon nitride with from between 67 to 43 atomic percent of silicon, and 33 to 57 atomic percent of nitrogen.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the substrate is comprised of aluminum.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the substrate is a flexible belt.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thickness of the photoconductive layer is from about 1 micron to about 50 microns.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thickness of the first overcoating layer is from about 0.001 micron to about 1 micron.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thickness of the second overcoating layer is from about 0.02 micron to about 2 microns.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method of imaging which comprises providing the photoresponsive imaging member of claim 1, subjecting this member to imagewise exposure, developing the resulting image with a toner composition, subsequently transferring the image to a suitable substrate, and optionally permanently affixing the image thereto.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method of imaging in accordance with claim 17 wherein the photoconductive layer is comprised of hydrogenated amorphous silicon doped with boron, or simultaneously doped with boron and phosphorous in an amount of from about 2 parts per million to about 100 parts per million.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method of imaging in accordance with claim 17 wherein the photoconductive layer is comprised oa a hydrogenated amorphous silicon-germanium alloy.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method of imaging in accordance with claim 17 wherein the photoconductive layer is comprised of a hydrogenated amorphous silicontin alloy.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method of imaging in accordance with claim 17 wherein the photoconductive layer is comprised of a hydrogenated amorphous carbongermanium alloy.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of imaging in accordance with claim 17 wherein the thickness of the photoconductive layer is from about 1.0 micron to about 50 microns.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of imaging in accordance with claim 17 wherein the thickness of the first overcoating layer is from about 0.01 micron to about 1.0 micron.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of imaging in accordance with claim 17 wherein the thickness of the second overcoating layer is from about 0.02 micron to about 2 microns.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method of imaging in accordance with claim 17 wherein the blocking layer is doped with boron.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method of imaging in accordance with claim 17 wherein dopants are present in an amount of from about 100 parts per million to about 500 parts per million.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method of imaging in accordance with claim 17 wherein the first overcoating layer is comprised of silicon nitride with 95 to 67 atomic percent of silicon, and between 5 to 33 atomic percent of nitrogen.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of imaging in accordance with claim 17 wherein the second overcoating layer is comprised of silicon nitride with from between 67 to 43 atomic percent of silicon, and 33 to 57 atomic percent of nitrogen.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 17 wherein the substrate is comprised of aluminum.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 17 wherein the substrate is a flexible belt.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
92 words
An imaging member consisting essentially of a supporting substrate, a blocking layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon with dopants therein in an amount of from about 100 to about 500 parts per million, a hydrogenated amorphous silicon photoconducting layer having incorporated therein from about 3 to about 20 parts per million of dopants, and thereover a silicon nitride overcoating wherein the silicon and nitrogen are present therein in a gradient extending from the surface of the photoconductive layer to the top of the overcoating layer, said amount increasing from nonstoichiometric to near stoichiometric.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
92 words
An imaging member consisting essentially of a supporting substrate, a blocking layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon with dopants therein in an amount of from about 100 to about 500 parts per million, a hydrogenated amorphous silicon photoconducting layer having incorporated therein from about 3 to about 20 parts per million of dopants, and thereover a silicon nitride overcoating wherein the silicon and nitrogen are present therein in a gradient extending from the surface of the photoconductive layer to the top of the overcoating layer, said amount increasing from nonstoichiometric to near stoichiometric.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 31 wherein the blocking layer is doped with boron.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 32 wherein the boron is present in an amount of from about 100 parts per million to about 500 parts per million.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
43 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 31 wherein the photoconductive layer is comprised of amorphous silicon doped with boron or simultaneously doped with boron and phosphorous in an amount of from about 2 parts per million to about 100 parts per million.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 31 wherein the photoconductive layer is comprised of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon-germanium alloy.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 31 wherein the photoconductive layer is comprised of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon-tin alloy, or an amorphous carbon-germanium alloy.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
26 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 31 wherein the silicon nitride layer is of a thickness of from about 0.01 micron to about 2 microns.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
79 words
An imaging member consisting essentially of a supporting substrate, a blocking layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon with dopants, a hydrogenated amorphous silicon photoconductive layer, a first overcoating layer of nonstoichiometric silicon nitride with from between 5 to 33 atomic percent of nitrogen and 95 to 67 atomic percent of silicon, and a second overcoating layer thereover of near stoichiometric silicon nitride with from between 33 to 57 atomic percent of nitrogen, and 67 to 43 atomic percent of silicon.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
79 words
An imaging member consisting essentially of a supporting substrate, a blocking layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon with dopants, a hydrogenated amorphous silicon photoconductive layer, a first overcoating layer of nonstoichiometric silicon nitride with from between 5 to 33 atomic percent of nitrogen and 95 to 67 atomic percent of silicon, and a second overcoating layer thereover of near stoichiometric silicon nitride with from between 33 to 57 atomic percent of nitrogen, and 67 to 43 atomic percent of silicon.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
55 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 38 wherein the nitrogen to silicon ratio on the nonstoiehiometric first layer is 0.45, and comprised of 31 atomic percent of nitrogen and 69 atomic percent of silicon; and the second near stoichiometric layer is comprised of 50 atomic percent of nitrogen and 50 atomic percent of silicon.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
42 words
An imaging member in accordance with claim 38 wherein the first overcoating layer contains 31 atomic percent of nitrogen and 69 atomic percent of silicon, and the second overcoating layer contains 43 atomic percent of nitrogen and 57 atomic percent of silicon.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4418132A
Cited
US4394425A
Cited
US4394426A
Cited
US4409308A
Cited
US4414319A
Cited
US4443529A
Cited
US4477549A
Cited
US4460669A
Cited
US4465750A
Cited
US4483911A
Cited
US4452874A
Cited
US4452875A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-05-04 | 1990-11-03 | 1991-05-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-05-04 | 1994-11-03 | 1995-05-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-05-04 | 1998-11-03 | 1999-05-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |