Abstract: An image-forming method uses an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a surface layer formed of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide in which a ratio of the number of carbon atoms to the sum of the number of silicon atoms and the number of the carbon atoms in the surface layer is 0.61 or more and 0.75 or less, and the sum of the atomic density of the silicon atoms and the atomic density of the carbon atoms in the surface layer is 6.60×1022 atoms/cm3 or more, and the peak wavelength of pre-exposure light is shorter than the peak wavelength of image exposure light.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photoconductive layer and, provided on the photoconductive layer, a surface layer constituted of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide, the ratio of the number of atoms of carbon atoms (C) to the sum of the number of atoms of silicon atoms (Si) and number of atoms of carbon atoms (C), C/(Si+C), in the surface layer is from 0.61 or more to 0.75 or less, and the sum of atom density of the silicon atoms and atom density of the carbon atoms in the surface layer is 6.60×1022atom/cm3 or more.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus has an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a surface layer of an amorphous silicon carbide. The ratio of the atom density (C) of carbon atoms to the sum of the atom density (Si) of silicon atoms and the atom density (C) of carbon atoms, C/(Si+C), in the surface layer is set larger from one end portion toward the other end portion of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in the direction of rotational axis thereof, and is from 0.61 or more to 0.75 or less in the entire region of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in the direction of rotational axis thereof. The electrophotographic apparatus has an air current generator which draws out air from the side of the one end portion toward the side of the other end portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a deposition film forming apparatus including a reaction container, an exhaust device and an exhaust gas flow path for causing a material gas to flow from the reaction container to the exhaust device, wherein the exhaust gas flow path includes a portion whose cross section expands with a step with respect to a direction in which the material gas flows and the deposition film forming apparatus further includes a cleaning gas flow device for causing the cleaning gas to directly flow into a region closer to the exhaust device side than the step of the exhaust gas flow path, a deposition film forming method using the deposition film forming apparatus and a method of manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive member using the deposition film forming method.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a photoconductive layer, an intermediate layer, and a surface layer. When Si+C atom density in the surface layer is represented by DS×1022 atoms/cm3, the DS is 6.60 or more, and when the maximal value of H/(Si+H) in a distribution of hydrogen quantity in the photoconductive layer in a layer thickness direction is represented by HPmax, the average value of the H/(Si+H) in the second photoconductive region is represented by HP2, the DS and the HP2 satisfy the following expression (1) and the DS and the HPmax satisfy the following expression (2). HP2?0.07×DS?0.38??Expression (1) HPmax?0.04×DS+0.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a photoconductive layer, an intermediate layer made of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide on the photoconductive layer, and a surface layer made of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide on the intermediate layer, wherein a ratio (C/(Si+C); C2) in the surface layer is 0.61 to 0.75, and a sum of atom density of silicon and carbon is 6.60×1022 atoms/cm3 or more, a ratio (C/(Si+C); C1) and a sum (D1) of atom density of silicon and carbon in the intermediate layer increase continuously from the photoconductive layer toward the surface layer without exceeding C2 and D2, and the intermediate layer has a continuous region in which C1 is 0.25 to C2 while D1 is 5.50×1022 to 6.45×1022 atoms/cm3, the region being 150 nm or larger in a layer thickness direction, and an electrophotographic apparatus equipped therewith.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a substrate, a photoconductive layer, an intermediate layer, and a surface layer sequentially formed. The intermediate layer contains silicon, carbon and hydrogen, and a distribution of a hydrogen ratio, which is a ratio of the number of hydrogen atoms to the number of silicon, carbon and hydrogen atoms, in the intermediate layer has a maximum region. A largest hydrogen atomic ratio in the intermediate layer is larger than a hydrogen atomic ratio in the surface layer, and the hydrogen atomic ratio in the surface layer is 0.30 to 0.45. A distribution of a carbon atomic ratio, which is a ratio of the number of carbon atoms to the number of silicon and carbon atoms, in the intermediate layer has a maximum and a minimum region. A carbon atomic ratio in the maximum region is 0.53 to 0.63, a carbon atomic ratio in the minimum region is 0.47 or more, and the maximum hydrogen region in the intermediate layer is partially superimposed on the minimum carbon region.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a photoconductive layer and, provided on the photoconductive layer, a surface layer containing a hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide. A ratio of the number of carbon atoms (C) to the sum of the number of silicon atoms (Si) and number of carbon atoms (C), C/(Si+C), in the surface layer is from 0.61 or more to 0.75 or less, and the sum of atom density of the silicon atoms and atom density of the carbon atoms in the surface layer is 6.60×1022 atom/cm3 or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member in which a photoconductive layer is an amorphous layer that contains a silicon atom as a main component, and a surface layer contains an aluminum atom, a zinc atom and an oxygen atom so as to satisfy Expression (1) and Expression (2): 3.0?100{y/(x+y)}?7.0??(1), and 1.05?z/(1.50x+y)?1.20??(2), in Expression (1) and Expression (2), x represents atom % of the aluminum atom contained in the surface layer, y represents atom % of the zinc atom contained in the surface layer, and z represents atom % of the oxygen atom contained in the surface layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a step of forming a first surface layer and a second surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member by supplying a source gas into a reaction vessel so that C2/S2, which are respectively flow rates of CH4 and SiH4 flowing when the second surface layer is formed, can be 3 or more and 25 or less, and C1/S1, which are respectively flow rates of CH4 and SiH4 flowing when the first surface layer is formed, can be C2/S2 or more but 60 or less. The method includes an additional step of adjusting the high-frequency power so that P2>P1 can be satisfied, which are high-frequency powers respectively when the second surface layer is formed and when the first surface layer is formed, and C/(Si+C) of the first surface layer and C/(Si+C) of the second surface layer can be 0.50 or more and 0.80 or less.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member has a conductive substrate, a photoconductive layer formed on the conductive substrate, and a surface layer formed on the photoconductive layer. The photoconductive layer is formed of an amorphous material having chiefly silicon atoms. The surface layer has aluminum atoms, nitrogen atoms and oxygen atoms, where the nitrogen atoms are in a content of from 80 atom % or more to 95 atom % or less, and the oxygen atoms are in a content of from 1 atom % or more to 30 atom % or less, based on the aluminum atoms in the surface layer.

Abstract: An image-forming method is provided which enable high-quality images to be formed over a long time period. In the image-forming method, an electrophotographic photosensitive member is used having a surface layer formed of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide in which a ratio of the number of carbon atoms to the sum of the number of silicon atoms and the number of the carbon atoms in the surface layer is 0.61 or more and 0.75 or less, and the sum of the atomic density of the silicon atoms and the atomic density of the carbon atoms in the surface layer is 6.60×1022 atoms/cm3 or more, and the peak wavelength of pre-exposure light is shorter than the peak wavelength of image exposure light.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus which has an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a surface layer constituted of an amorphous silicon carbide, wherein the ratio of the atom density (C) of carbon atoms to the sum of the atom density (Si) of silicon atoms and the atom density (C) of carbon atoms, C/(Si+C), in the surface layer is set larger from one end portion toward the other end portion of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in the direction of rotational axis thereof, and is from 0.61 or more to 0.75 or less in the whole region of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in the direction of rotational axis thereof and the electrophotographic apparatus has an air current generation means which draws out air from the side of the above one end portion toward the side of the above other end portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a photoconductive layer, an intermediate layer made of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide on the photoconductive layer, and a surface layer made of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide on the intermediate layer, wherein a ratio (C/(Si+C); C2) in the surface layer is 0.61 to 0.75, and a sum of atom density of silicon and carbon is 6.60×1022 atoms/cm3 or more, a ratio (C/(Si+C); C1) and a sum (D1) of atom density of silicon and carbon in the intermediate layer increase continuously from the photoconductive layer toward the surface layer without exceeding C2 and D2, and the intermediate layer has a continuous region in which C1 is 0.25 to C2 while D1 is 5.50×1022 to 6.45×1022 atoms/cm3, the region being 150 nm or larger in a layer thickness direction, and an electrophotographic apparatus equipped therewith.

Abstract: The invention is an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a substrate, a photoconductive layer, an intermediate layer and a surface layer sequentially formed, wherein the intermediate contains silicon, carbon and hydrogen, a distribution of a hydrogen ratio which is a ratio of the number of hydrogen to the number of silicon, carbon and hydrogen in the intermediate has a maximum region, a largest hydrogen ratio in the intermediate is larger than a hydrogen ratio in the surface, the hydrogen ratio in the surface is 0.30 to 0.45, a distribution of a carbon ratio which is a ratio of the number of carbon to the number of silicon and carbon in the intermediate has a maximum and a minimum region, a carbon maximum region is 0.53 to 0.63, a carbon minimum region is 0.47 or more, and the maximum hydrogen region in the intermediate is partially superimposed on the minimum carbon region.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a photoconductive layer, an intermediate layer, and a surface layer. When Si+C atom density in the surface layer is represented by DS×1022 atoms/cm3, the DS is 6.60 or more, and when the maximal value of H/(Si+H) in a distribution of hydrogen quantity in the photoconductive layer in a layer thickness direction is represented by HPmax, the average value of the H/(Si+H) in the second photoconductive region is represented by HP2, the DS and the HP2 satisfy the following expression (1) and the DS and the HPmax satisfy the following expression (2). HP2?0.07×DS?0.38??Expression (1) HPmax?0.04×DS+0.

Abstract: The present invention provides a deposition film forming apparatus including a reaction container, an exhaust device and an exhaust gas flow path for causing a material gas to flow from the reaction container to the exhaust device, wherein the exhaust gas flow path includes a portion whose cross section expands with a step with respect to a direction in which the material gas flows and the deposition film forming apparatus further includes a cleaning gas flow device for causing the cleaning gas to directly flow into a region closer to the exhaust device side than the step of the exhaust gas flow path, a deposition film forming method using the deposition film forming apparatus and a method of manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive member using the deposition film forming method.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photoconductive layer and, provided on the photoconductive layer, a surface layer constituted of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide, the ratio of the number of atoms of carbon atoms (C) to the sum of the number of atoms of silicon atoms (Si) and number of atoms of carbon atoms (C), C/(Si+C), in the surface layer is from or more to 0.75 or less, and the sum of atom density of the silicon atoms and atom density of the carbon atoms in the surface layer is 6.60×1022 atom/cm3 or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive member including: forming a first surface layer and a second surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member by supplying a source gas into a reaction vessel so that C2/S2 which are respectively flow rates of CH4 and SiH4 flowing when the second surface layer is formed can be 3 or more and 25 or less, and C1/S1 which are respectively flow rates of CH4 and SiH4 flowing when the first surface layer is formed can be C2/S2 or more but 60 or less, and adjusting the high-frequency power so that P2>P1 can be satisfied which are high-frequency powers respectively when the second surface layer is formed and when the first surface layer is formed, and C/(Si+C) of the first surface layer and C/(Si+C) of the second surface layer can be 0.50 or more and 0.80 or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member in which a photoconductive layer is an amorphous layer that contains a silicon atom as a main component, and a surface layer contains an aluminum atom, a zinc atom and an oxygen atom so as to satisfy Expression (1) and Expression (2): 3.0?100 {y/(x+y)}?7.0 ??(1), and 1.05?z/(1.50x+y)?1.20 ??(2), in Expression (1) and Expression (2), x represents atom % of the aluminum atom contained in the surface layer, y represents atom % of the zinc atom contained in the surface layer, and z represents atom % of the oxygen atom contained in the surface layer.