US4786574A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Layered amorphous silicon containing photoconductive element having surface layer with specified optical band gap
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1987-02-05
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Granted: 1988-11-22
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Expires: 2007-02-05
Abstract
Abstract A light-receiving member for electrophotography comprises a substrate and a light-receiving layer provided on the substrate comprising a photoconductive layer exhibiting photoconductivity comprising an amorphous material containing at least one of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms as the constituent in a matrix of silicon atoms and a surface layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms, carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms and the constituents, said surface layer being changed in the distribution concentration in the layer thickness direction of the constituent elements such that matching optical gap is obtained at the interface with said photoconductive layer, and the maximum distribution concentration of the hydrogen atoms within said surface layer being 41 to 70 atomic percent.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigeru Shirai
- 👤 Keishi Saitoh
- 👤 Takayoshi Arai
- 👤 Minoru Kato
- 👤 Yasushi Fujioka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 05:32
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G5/00; G03G5/02; G03G5/04; G03G5/08; G03G5/082; G03G5/08214; G03G5/08235; G03G5/08242; G03G5/08221; G03G5/08228; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S430/00; Y10S430/146
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
A light-receiving member for electrophotography comprising asubstrate and a light-receiving layer provided on the substrate comprising a photoconductive layer exhibiting photoconductivity comprising an amorphous material containing at least one of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms as the constituent in a matrix of silicon atoms and a surface layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms, carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms as the constituents, said surface layer being changed in the distribution concentration in the layer thickness direction of the constituent elements such that an optical band gap of said surface layer and an optical band gap of said photoconductive layer are matched at an interface between the surface layer and the photoconductive layer and the maximum distribution concentration of the hydrogen atoms within said surface layer being 41 to 70 atomic percent.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
A light-receiving member for electrophotography comprising asubstrate and a light-receiving layer provided on the substrate comprising a photoconductive layer exhibiting photoconductivity comprising an amorphous material containing at least one of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms as the constituent in a matrix of silicon atoms and a surface layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms, carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms as the constituents, said surface layer being changed in the distribution concentration in the layer thickness direction of the constituent elements such that an optical band gap of said surface layer and an optical band gap of said photoconductive layer are matched at an interface between the surface layer and the photoconductive layer and the maximum distribution concentration of the hydrogen atoms within said surface layer being 41 to 70 atomic percent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 1, wherien the distribution regions of the constituents in said surface layer exist internally on the substrate side of said surface layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the distribution regions of the constituents in said surface layer cover the entire region of said surface layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said surface layer contains carbon atoms in the distribution region of the constituent elements in a distribution state more enriched toward the surface side.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The light-receiving member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said surface layer contains hydrogen atoms in the distribution region of the constituent element in a distribution state more enriched toward the surface side.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The light-receiving member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said photoconductive layer contains at least one of oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 1, further comprising a charge injection preventive layer containing a substance for controlling conductivity in a matrix of silicon atoms as constituent layer of said light-receiving layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 7 wherein the charge injection preventive layer is amorphous.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 7, wherein the charge injection preventive layer is polycrystalline.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 7, wherein the distribution regions of the constituents in said surface layer exist internally on the substrate side of said surface layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 7, wherein the distribution regions of the constituents in said surface layer cover the entire region of said surface layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 10 or 11, wherein said surface layer contains carbon atoms in the distribution region of the constituent elements in a distribution state more enriched toward the surface side.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
The light-receiving member according to any one of claims 7, 10 and 11, wherein said surface layer contains hydrogen atoms in the distribution region of the constituent elements in a distribution state more enriched toward the surface side.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The light-receiving member according to any one of claims 7, and 10 and 11 wherein said photoconductive layer contains at least one of oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The light-receiving member according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the charge injection preventive layer contains at least one of oxygen atoms, carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 15, wherein the charge injection preventive layer contains the substance for controlling conductivity in a distributed state more enriched on the substrate side.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 15, wherein the charge injection preventive layer contains at least one of oxygen atoms, carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms in a distributed state more enriched on the substrate side.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 15, wherein the oxygen atoms, the carbon atoms and/or the nitrogen atoms contained in the charge injection preventive.layer exist internally on the substrate side.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 1, further comprising a longer wavelength light absorbing layer having sensitivity to longer wavelength light containing silicon atoms and germanium atoms as constituent layer of said light-receiving layer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 19, wherein the longer wavelength light absorbing layer amorphous.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 19, wherein the longer wavelength light absorbing layer is polycrystalline.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 19, wherein the distribution regions of the constituents in said surface layer exist internally on the substrate side of said surface layer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 19, wherein the distribution regions of the constituents in said surface layer cover the entire region of said surface layer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 22 or 23, wherein said surface layer contains carbon atoms in the distribution region of the constituent elements in a distributions state more enriched toward the surface side.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
38 words
The light-receiving member according to any one of claims 19, 22 and 23 wherein said surface layer contains hydrogen atoms in the distribution region of the constituent elements in a distribution state more enriched toward the surface side.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
The light-receiving member according to any one of claims 19, and 22 and 23, wherein said photoconductive layer contains at least one of oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
35 words
The light-receiving member according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein the longer wavelength light absorbing layer contains at least one of substances for controlling conductivity, oxygen atoms, carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 27, wherein the substance for controlling conductivity is an atom belonging to the group III of the periodic table.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 27, wherein the substance for controlling conductivity is an atom belonging to the group V of the periodic table.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
27 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 2, further comprising a longer wavelength light absorbing layer having sensitivity to longer wavelength light containing silicon atoms and germanium atoms.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 30, wherein the charge injection preventive layer is amorphous.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 30, wherein the charge injection preventive layer is polycrystalline.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 31 or 32, wherein the longer wavelength light absorbing layer is amorphous.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 31 or 32, wherein the longer wavelength light absorbing layer is polycrystalline.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 30, wherein the distribution regions of the constituents in said surface layer exist internally on the substrate side of said surface layer.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
26 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 30, wherein the distribution regions of the constituents in said surface layer cover the entire region of said surface layer.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
34 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 35 or 36, wherein said surface layer contains carbon atoms in the distributaion region of the constituent elements in a distribution state more enriched toward the surface side.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
38 words
The light-receiving member according to any one of claims 30, 35 and 36, wherein said surface layer contains hydrogen atoms in the distribution region of the constituent element in a distribution state more enriched toward the surface side.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
27 words
The light-receiving member according to any one of claims 30, 35 and 36, wherein said photoconductive layer contains at least one of oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 30, wherein the charge injection preventive layer contains at least one of oxygen atoms, carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
29 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 30, wherein the charge injection preventive layer contains the substance for controlling conductivity in a distributed state more enriched on the substrate side.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
35 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 40, wherein the charge injection preventive layer contains at least one of oxygen atoms, carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms in a distributed state more enriched on the substrate side.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
31 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 40, wherein the oxygen atoms, the carbon atoms and/or the nitrogen atoms contained in the charge injection preventive layer exist internally on the substrate side.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
30 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 30, wherein the longer wavelength light absorbing layer contains at least one of substances for controlling conductivity, oxygen atoms, carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
27 words
The light-receiving memeber according to claim 30 or 44, wherein the substance for controlling conductivity is an atom belonging to the group III of the periodic table.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
27 words
The light-receiving member according to claim 30 or 44, wherein the substance for controlling conductivity is an atom belonging to the group V of the periodic table.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
53 words
The light-receiving member according to any of claims 1,7 to 9, 19 to 21 and 30 to 32, further comprising an adhesion layer comprising an amorphous material or a polycrystalline material containing silicon atoms and at least one of nitrogen atoms, oxygen atoms and carbon atoms as constituent layer of said light-receiving layer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4600670A
Cited
US4673629A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-11-22 | 1992-05-23 | 1992-11-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-11-22 | 1996-05-23 | 1996-11-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-11-22 | 2000-05-23 | 2000-11-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |