Abstract: There is described a novel method for forming a photoreceptor which includes a photogenerator layer comprising selenium and tellurium. According to the method, the photogenerator layer is formed by electrochemically codepositing selenium and tellurium onto a substrate from a solution of their ions in such a way that the relative amounts of selenium and tellurium which are deposited are controlled by their relative concentrations in the electrolyte and by the choice of electrochemical conditions, i.e., current density or electrode potential. Subsequently a layer of a material capable of transporting at least one species of charge carrier is deposited on the free surface of the photogenerator layer by any suitable technique.

Abstract: There is described a method for forming a photoreceptor wherein a substrate having a thin electrically insulating oxide film on a surface thereof is subjected to an electroless deposition step from a selenious acid solution whereby the oxide film is dissolved and a thin selenium layer is formed on the substrate. In one embodiment, a relatively thick photoconductive insulating layer comprising selenium or alloys thereof is deposited by vacuum evaporation over the previously electrolessly deposited selenium layer. In another embodiment, a layer of a charge carrier transport material is deposited over the selenium layer. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an oxide-free substrate is initially subjected to an electrochemical oxidation step in an alkaline medium to form a thin electrically insulating oxide film on the surface thereof.