Electrophotographic photosensitive member and method for making such a member containing amorphous silicon
First Claim
1. An electrophotographic photosensitive member, comprising:
- a conductive substrate, a first layer structure including a single layer made mainly of amorphous silicon formed on said substrate, said single layer functioning as a photoconductive layer, and a second layer structure (50) also functioning as a photosensitive or photoconductive layer structure including a plurality of individual layers each made mainly of amorphous silicon formed on said single layer, said individual layers of said second layer structure comprising at least two high resistance layers having a relatively higher resistance value and at least one low resistance layer having a relatively lower resistance value than said relatively higher resistance value, said low resistance layer being sandwiched between said high resistance layers, said at least two high resistance layers and said at least one low resistance layer being alternately layered on said single layer of said first layer structure, such that the first and last layers of said second layer structure comprise said high resistance layers, whereby the resistance in the surface of said second layer structure (50) is increased and the resistance in the cross-direction of said second layer structure (50) is decreased.
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Abstract
An electrophotographic photosensitive member has a conductive substrate, a first layer structure with a single layer made mainly of amorphous silicon formed on the substrate, and a second layer structure including multiple layers also mainly made of amorphous silicon layered in succession on the first layer structure. The plurality of second layers includes at least two high resistance layers having a relatively high resistance value and at least one low resistance layer having a relatively low resistance value compared to the high resistance value. The layers of the second layer structure are layered alternately on the first layer structure so that the first and last layers in the second layer structure are high resistance layers.
37 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An electrophotographic photosensitive member, comprising:
- a conductive substrate, a first layer structure including a single layer made mainly of amorphous silicon formed on said substrate, said single layer functioning as a photoconductive layer, and a second layer structure (50) also functioning as a photosensitive or photoconductive layer structure including a plurality of individual layers each made mainly of amorphous silicon formed on said single layer, said individual layers of said second layer structure comprising at least two high resistance layers having a relatively higher resistance value and at least one low resistance layer having a relatively lower resistance value than said relatively higher resistance value, said low resistance layer being sandwiched between said high resistance layers, said at least two high resistance layers and said at least one low resistance layer being alternately layered on said single layer of said first layer structure, such that the first and last layers of said second layer structure comprise said high resistance layers, whereby the resistance in the surface of said second layer structure (50) is increased and the resistance in the cross-direction of said second layer structure (50) is decreased.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24)
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12. A method of manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive member, comprising the following steps:
- preparing a conductive substrate, forming a first layer structure including a single photoconducting layer made mainly of amorphous silicon on said substrate and forming a second photosensitive or photoconducting layer structure including a plurality of individual layers each made mainly of amorphous silicon on said single photoconducting layer, said step of forming said second photosensitive or photoconductive layer structure comprising forming a first high resistance layer having a relatively higher resistance value, forming, on said first high resistance layer, a low resistance layer having a relatively lower resistance value than said relatively higher resistance value, and forming a further high resistance layer on said low resistance layer, said further high resistance layer having a relatively higher resistance value than said relatively lower resistance value, whereby said low resistance layer is sandwiched between said high resistance layers so that the first and last layers of said second layer structure are said high resistance layers, and whereby the resistance in the surface of said second layer structure is increased and the resistance in the cross-direction of said second layer structure is decreased.
- View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
Specification