Patent US5849446A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5849446A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Light receiving member having a surface protective layer with a specific outermost surface and process for the production thereof
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1997-01-21
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Granted: 1998-12-15
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Expires: 2017-01-21
Abstract
Abstract A light receiving member comprising a electrically conductive substrate, a photoconductive layer composed of a non-single crystalline material containing at least silicon atoms as a matrix formed on said substrate by decomposing a silicon-containing raw material gas, and a surface protective layer composed of a non-single crystalline carbon material containing hydrogen formed on said photoconductive layer by decomposing a raw material gas comprising at least a hydrocarbon using a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz, wherein a 20 Å or more thick surface side layer region of said surface protective layer composed of said non-single crystalline carbon material is etched at an etching speed of 0.1 to 50 Å/sec. by means of a fluorine-containing plasma produced by decomposing a fluorine-containing gas using a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz such that said surface protective layer has a thickness of 100 to 10000 Å and has an etched surface deposited with fluorine atoms so as to cover said etched surface. And a process for producing said light receiving member.
Inventors
- 👤 Junichiro Hashizume
- 👤 Shigenori Ueda
- 👤 Makoto Aoki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 12:19
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/56; G; G03; G03G; G03G7/00; C23C16/22; C23C16/26; G03G5/00; G03G5/02; G03G5/04; G03G5/043; G03G5/0433; G03G5/08; G03G5/082; G03G5/08214; G03G5/08221; G03G5/08285; G03G5/14; G03G5/147; G03G5/14704
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
A light receiving member comprising an electrically conductive substrate, a photoconductive layer comprising a non-single crystalline material containing at least silicon atoms as a matrix formed on said substrate by decomposing a silicon-containing raw material gas, and a surface protective layer comprising a non-single crystalline carbon material containing hydrogen atoms formed on said photoconductive layer by decomposing a raw material gas comprising at least a hydrocarbon using a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz, wherein said surface protective layer has a thickness of 100 to 10,000 Å and an etched surface, said etched surface covered by fluorine atoms, wherein said etched surface covered by fluorine atoms being formed by etching a 20 Å or more thick surface side layer region of said surface protective layer comprising said non-single crystalline carbon material at an etching speed of 0.1 to 50 Å/sec. in an atmosphere containing a fluorine-containing plasma produced by decomposing a fluorine-containing gas using a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
A light receiving member comprising an electrically conductive substrate, a photoconductive layer comprising a non-single crystalline material containing at least silicon atoms as a matrix formed on said substrate by decomposing a silicon-containing raw material gas, and a surface protective layer comprising a non-single crystalline carbon material containing hydrogen atoms formed on said photoconductive layer by decomposing a raw material gas comprising at least a hydrocarbon using a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz, wherein said surface protective layer has a thickness of 100 to 10,000 Å and an etched surface, said etched surface covered by fluorine atoms, wherein said etched surface covered by fluorine atoms being formed by etching a 20 Å or more thick surface side layer region of said surface protective layer comprising said non-single crystalline carbon material at an etching speed of 0.1 to 50 Å/sec. in an atmosphere containing a fluorine-containing plasma produced by decomposing a fluorine-containing gas using a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the non-single crystalline carbon material is formed at an inner pressure of 100 mTorr or less.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the high frequency power upon forming the non-single crystalline carbon material has a wattage of 1 W/cc or more for the raw material gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the surface side layer region to be etched is more than 100 Å.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the photoconductive layer has a thickness of 1 μm to 50 μm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the fluorine-containing gas contains a compound selected from CF 4 , CHF 3 , C 2 F 6 , CHClF 2 , F 2 , C 3 F 8 , and C 4 F 10 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon includes CH 4 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the non-single crystalline carbon material contains an amorphous material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the photoconductive layer comprises a charge generation layer and a charge transportation layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A light receiving member according to claim 1, wherein the photoconductive layer includes a blocking layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A light receiving member according to claim 10, wherein the blocking layer is positioned on the substrate side.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
A light receiving member according to claim 1 which is used in electrophotography.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
192 words
A process for producing a light receiving member, comprising the steps of: (a) placing an electrically conductive substrate in a deposition chamber capable of retaining a vacuum and which is provided with an exhaust means and a means for introducing a raw material gas thereinto, (b) forming a photoconductive layer comprising a non-single crystalline material containing at least silicon atoms as a matrix on said substrate by decomposing a silicon-containing raw material gas, (c) forming a layer comprising a non-single crystalline carbon material containing hydrogen atoms on said photoconductive layer by decomposing a raw material gas comprising at least a hydrocarbon using a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz, and d) etching a 20 Å or more thick surface side layer region of said layer at an etching speed of 0.1 to 50 Å/sec. in an atmosphere composed of a fluorine-containing plasma produced by decomposing a fluorine-containing gas using a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz thereby forming on said photoconductive layer a 100 to 10,000 Å thick surface protective layer having an outer surface of fluorine atoms.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
192 words
A process for producing a light receiving member, comprising the steps of: (a) placing an electrically conductive substrate in a deposition chamber capable of retaining a vacuum and which is provided with an exhaust means and a means for introducing a raw material gas thereinto, (b) forming a photoconductive layer comprising a non-single crystalline material containing at least silicon atoms as a matrix on said substrate by decomposing a silicon-containing raw material gas, (c) forming a layer comprising a non-single crystalline carbon material containing hydrogen atoms on said photoconductive layer by decomposing a raw material gas comprising at least a hydrocarbon using a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz, and d) etching a 20 Å or more thick surface side layer region of said layer at an etching speed of 0.1 to 50 Å/sec. in an atmosphere composed of a fluorine-containing plasma produced by decomposing a fluorine-containing gas using a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz thereby forming on said photoconductive layer a 100 to 10,000 Å thick surface protective layer having an outer surface of fluorine atoms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process according to claim 13, wherein the formation of the surface protective layer in the step (c) is conducted at an inner pressure of 100 mTorr or less.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process according to claim 13, wherein the high frequency power used in the formation of the surface protective layer in the the step (c) has a wattage of 1 W/cc or more for the raw material gas.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process according to claim 13, wherein the thickness of the surface side layer region to be etched in the step (d) is more than 100 Å.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process according to claim 13, wherein the photoconductive layer has a thickness of 1 μm to 50 μm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
51 words
The process according to claim 13, wherein the fluorine-containing gas used in the step (d) contains a compound selected from CF 4 , CHF 3 , C 2 F 6 , ClF 3 , CHClF 2 , F 2 , C 3 F 8 , and C 4 F 10 .
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process according to claim 13, wherein the hydrocarbon in the step (c) includes CH 4 .
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
43 words
A light receiving member having a surface protective layer constituted by a non-single crystalline carbon material and which has a surface etched in a fluorine-containing gaseous atmosphere by applying a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
43 words
A light receiving member having a surface protective layer constituted by a non-single crystalline carbon material and which has a surface etched in a fluorine-containing gaseous atmosphere by applying a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
A light receiving member according to claim 20 which is used in electrophotography.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
44 words
A process for producing a surface protective layer of a light receiving member comprising etching a surface of a non-single crystalline carbon material in a fluorine-containing gaseous atmosphere by applying a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
44 words
A process for producing a surface protective layer of a light receiving member comprising etching a surface of a non-single crystalline carbon material in a fluorine-containing gaseous atmosphere by applying a high frequency power with an oscillation frequency of 50 MHz to 450 MHz.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
A light receiving member according to claim 20, wherein the fluorine-containing gaseous atmosphere is a fluorine-containing plasma atmosphere.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A light receiving member according to claim 20, wherein the surface protective layer has a thickness of 100 to 10,000 Å.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
A light receiving member according to claim 20, wherein the surface protective layer has a surface provided with fluorine atoms.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
39 words
A light receiving member according to claim 20, wherein the surface protective layer has an etched surface formed by etching a 20 Å or more thick surface side region of the non-single crystalline material as the surface protective layer.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
A light receiving member according to claim 26, wherein the etching is conducted at an etching speed of 1 to 50 Å/sec.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
A light receiving member according to claim 20, wherein the surface protective layer is provided on a photoconductive layer.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
A light receiving member according to claim 28, wherein the photoconductive layer comprises a silicon-containing non-single crystalline material.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process for producing a surface protective layer according to claim 22, wherein the fluorine-containing gaseous atmosphere is a fluorine-containing plasma atmosphere.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process for producing a surface protective layer according to claim 22, wherein a front surface region of the non-single crystalline carbon material is etched so that the non-single crystalline carbon material has a thickness of 100 to 10,000 Å.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process for producing a surface protective layer according to claim 22, wherein the etched surface of the non-single crystalline carbon material is provided with fluorine atoms.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process for producing a surface protective layer according to claim 22, wherein a 20 Å or more thick front surface region of the non-single crystalline carbon material is etched.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process for producing a surface protective layer according to claim 33, wherein the etching of the 20 Å or more thick front surface region of the non-single crystalline carbon material is conducted at an etching speed of 1 to 50 Å/sec.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process for producing a surface protective layer according to claim 22, which further comprises the steps of forming a photoconductive layer and forming thereon a layer of a non-single crystalline carbon material, prior to the step of forming the surface protective layer.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process for producing a surface protective layer according to claim 35, wherein the photoconductive layer comprises a silicon-containing non-single crystalline material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-12-14 | 2002-06-15 | 2002-12-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-12-14 | 2006-06-15 | 2006-12-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-12-14 | 2010-06-15 | 2010-12-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |