Light receiving member with first layer of A-SiGe(O,N)(H,X) and second layer of A-SiC wherein the first layer has unevenly distributed germanium atoms and both layers contain a conductivity controller

Claim 2

A light receiving member comprising a substrate and a light receiving layer disposed on said substrate; said light receiving layer comprising (a) a 1 to 100 μm thick first layer having photoconductivity and (b) a 0.003 to 30 μm thick second layer in sequence from the side of the substrate; said first layer (a) comprising (i) an amorphous material containing silicon atoms as the main constituent, (ii) 1 to 6×10 5 atomic ppm of germanium atoms, (iii) at least one atom selected from hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms in a total amount of 0.01 to 40 atomic %, (iv) a conductivity controlling element selected from the group consisting of Group III and V elements of the Periodic Table, and (v) at least one atom selected from the group consisting of oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms, wherein said germanium atoms being so distributed in the thickness direction that the concentration thereof is enhanced at the position adjacent to the substrate and the concentration thereof is reduced or made substantially zero at the position adjacent to the interface with said second layer (b); wherein said second layer (b) comprises (b-i) an amorphous material containing silicon atoms, (b-ii) 0.001 to 90 atomic % of carbon atoms, and (b-iii) 1.0 to 1×10 4 atomic ppm of one atom selected from Group III and V atoms of the Periodic Table and does not contain germanium atoms.

Claim 3

A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is electrically insulative.

Claim 4

A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is electroconductive.

Claim 5

A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is an aluminum alloy.

Claim 6

A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is cylindrical in form.

Claim 7

A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the coductivity controlling element is uniformly distributed in the thickness direction in the first layer.

Claim 8

A light receiving member according to claim 6, wherein the amount of the conductivity controlling element contained in the first layer is from 0.001 to 3000 atomic ppm.

Claim 9

A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the conductivity controlling element in the first layer decreases from a maximum on the side of the second layer to a minimum on the side of the substrate.

Claim 10

A light receiving member according to claim 8, wherein the conduction type of the conductivity controlling element contained in the first layer is the same as that of the atom selected from the Group III and V atoms contained in the second layer.

Claim 11

A light receiving member according to claim 8, wherein the amount of the conductivity controlling element contained in said first layer is in the range of 0.001 to 3000 atomic ppm.

Claim 12

A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the conductivity controlling element in the first layer is relatively high at the side of the substrate and is relatively low at the interface with the second layer.

Claim 13

A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the conductivity controlling element in the first layer in the thickness direction is enhanced adjacent to the substrate and is substantially zero adjacent to the interface with the second layer.

Claim 14

A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the first layer has a partial layer region adjacent to the second layer which contains 0.001 to 3000 ppm of the conductivity controlling element uniformly or unevenly distributed therein.

Claim 15

A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the first layer contains the atom (O,N) in a uniform distribution in the thickness direction.

Claim 16

A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the first layer contains the atom (O,N) in an uneven distribution in the thickness direction.

Claim 17

A light receiving member according to claim 15, wherein the concentration of the atoms (O,N) in the thickness direction is enhanced adjacent to the substrate and is reduced or is substantially zero adjacent to the interface with the second layer.

Claim 18

A light receiving member according to claim 15, wherein the concentration of the atoms (O,N) in the first layer decreases from a maximum on the side of the second layer to a minimum on the side of the substrate.

Claim 19

A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the first layer has a partial layer region containing the atoms (O,N).

Claim 20

A light receiving member according to claim 18, wherein said partial layer region is adjacent the substrate and contains 0.001 to 50 atomic % of the atoms (O,N).

Claim 21

A light receiving member according to claim 18, wherein said partial layer region is adjacent the second layer and contains 0.001 to 50 atomic % of the atoms (O,N).

Claim 22

A light receiving member according to claim 18, wherein the thickness of said partial layer region is at least 40% of the thickness of the first layer and the amount of the atoms (O,N) contained in the partial layer region is less than 30 atomic %.

Claim 23

A light receiving member comprising a substrate and a light receiving layer disposed on said substrate; said light receiving layer comprising (a) a first layer having photoconductivity and (b) a second layer; said first layer (a) comprising a 0.003 to 50 μm thick first layer region and a 0.5 to 90 μm thick second layer region; said first layer region comprising (i) an amorphous material containing silicon atoms as the main constituent, (ii) 1 to 9.5×10 5 atomic ppm of germanium atoms, (iii) at least one atom selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms in a total amount of 0.01 to 40 atomic %, (iv) a conductivity controlling element selected from the group consisting of Group III and V elements of the Periodic Table, and (v) at least one atom selected from the group consisting of oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms, wherein said germanium atoms being so distributed in the thickness direction that the concentration thereof is enhanced at the position adjacent to the substrate and the concentration thereof is reduced or made substantially zero at the position adjacent to the interface with said second layer region; said second layer region comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms as the main constituent and at least one atom selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms, and not containing any germanium atoms; and said second layer (b) comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms, 0.001 to 90 atomic % of carbon atoms, and 1.0 to 1×10 4 atomic ppm of one atom selected from Group III and V atoms of the Periodic Table and not containing germanium atoms.

Claim 24

A light receiving member comprising a substrate and a light receiving layer disposed on said substrate; said light receiving layer comprising (a) a first layer having photoconductivity and (b) a second layer; said first layer (a) comprising a 0.003 to 50 μm thick first layer region and a 0.5 to 90 μm thick second layer region; said first layer region comprising (i) an amorphous material containing silicon atoms as the main constituent, (ii) 1 to 9.5×10 5 atomic ppm of germanium atoms, (iii) at least one atom selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms in a total amount of 0.01 to 40 atomic %, (iv) a conductivity controlling element selected from the group consisting of Group III and V elements of the Periodic Table, and (v) at least one atom selected from the group consisting of oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms, wherein said germanium atoms being so distributed in the thickness direction that the concentration thereof is enhanced at the position adjacent to the substrate and the concentration thereof is reduced or made substantially zero at the position adjacent to the interface with said second layer region; said second layer region comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms as the main constituent and at least one atom selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms, and not containing any germanium atoms; and said second layer (b) comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms, 0.001 to 90 atomic % of carbon atoms, and 1.0 to 1×10 4 atomic ppm of one atom selected from Group III and V atoms of the Periodic Table and not containing germanium atoms.

Claim 25

A light receiving member according to claim 22, wherein the substrate is electrically insulative.

Claim 26

A light receiving member according to claim 22, wherein the substrate is electroconductive.

Claim 27

A light receiving member according to claim 22, wherein the substrate is an aluminum alloy.

Claim 28

A light receiving member according to claim 22, wherein the substrate is cylindrical in form.

Claim 29

A light receiving member according to claim 22, wherein the thickness (T B ) of the first layer region and the thickness (T) of the second layer region satisfy the equation: T B /T≦1.

Claim 30

A light receiving member according to claim 22, wherein the conductivity controlling element in the first layer region is uniformly or unevenly distributed in the thickness direction.

Claim 31

A light receiving member according to claim 22, wherein the atoms (O,N) in the first layer region are uniformly distributed in the thickness direction.

Claim 32

A light receiving member according to claim 22, wherein the atoms (O,N) in the first layer region are highly concentrated on the side of the substrate.

Claim 33

A light receiving member according to claim 22, wherein the conductivity controlling element in the second layer region is selected from the group consisting of Group III and V elements of the Periodic Table.

Claim 34

A light receiving member according to claim 22, wherein the second layer region contains the atoms (O,N).

Claim 35

A light receiving member according to claim 31, wherein the second layer region contains the atoms (O,N).