Abstract: A light-receiving member comprises a substrate and a light-receiving layer of a multi-layer structure having at least one photosensitive layer and a surface layer comprising an morphous material containing silicon atoms and carbon atoms, said light-receiving layer having at least one pair of non-parallel interfaces within a short range and said non-parallel interfaces being arranged in a large number in at least one direction within the plane perpendicular to the layer thickness direction, said non-parallel interfaces being connected to one another smoothly in the direction in which they are arranged.

Abstract: A light-receiving member comprises a substrate and a light-receiving layer of a multi-layer structure having a first layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and germanium atoms and a second layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and exhibiting photoconductivity provided successively from the substrate side, said light-receiving layer having at least one pair of non-parallel interfaces within a short range and said non-parallel interfaces being aranged in a large number in at least one direction within the plane perpendicular to the layer thickness direction, said non-parallel interfaces being connected to one another smoothly in the direction in which they are arranged.

Abstract: An image holding member which contains a photosensitive layer of photoconductive material and an amorphous film overlayer containing at least silicon atoms, hydrogen atoms and carbon atoms as main components, wherein the amorphous film is formed by discharge in a gaseous atmosphere of organohydrogenosilane is disclosed.

Abstract: A light receiving member comprises a light receiving layer of a multi-layer structure having a first layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and germanium atoms, a second layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and exhibiting photoconductivity and a surface layer having reflection preventive function provided on a substrate successively from the substrate side, said light receiving layer containing at least one selected from oxygen atoms, carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms and having at least one pair of non-parallel interfaces within a short range and said non-parallel interfaces being arranged in a large number in at least one direction within the plane perpendicular to the layer thickness direction.

Abstract: A light-receiving member comprises light-receiving layer of a multi-layer structure having a first layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and germanium atoms and a second layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and exhibiting photoconductivity provided on a substrate successively from the substrate side, said light-receiving layer having at least one pair of non-parallel interfaces within a short range and said non-parallel interfaces being arranged in a large number in at least one direction within the plane perpendicular to the layer thickness direction.

Abstract: An apparatus and a process for mass production of films by vacuum deposition comprise a substrate charging stage which is evacuated, an interconnecting stage which is positioned adjacent to said substrate charging stage and is evacuated, and a film forming stage which is removably attached to the interconnecting stage and is evacuated independently of the interconnecting stage.

Abstract: A light receiving member comprises a light receiving layer of a multi-layer structure having at least one photosensitive layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms on a substrate, said photosensitive layer having at least one pair of non-parallel interfaces within a short range and said non-parallel interfaces being arranged in a large number in at least one direction within a plane perpendicular to the layer thickness direction.

Abstract: A light-receiving member has a substrate and a light receiving layer having photoconductivity containing an amorphous material comprising a matrix of silicon atoms provided on said substrate, said light receiving layer having, from the said support side with respect to the layer thickness direction of said layer, a first layer region containing atoms of the group III of the periodic table at higher concentration toward the side of said substrate and a second layer region containing atoms of the group III of the periodic table and nitrogen atoms.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus for applying a vacuum working process to a substrate to be processed by a plurality of processing steps comprises vacuum containers exclusively for use for processing disposed in place for each of the processing steps, and a vacuum container exclusively for use for conveyance movable between the vacuum containers exclusively for use for processing. The vacuum containers are provided with opening-closing gates which can be connected to each other. The substrate to be processed is transferably movable between the vacuum containers exclusively for use for processing and the vacuum container exclusively for use for conveyance.

Abstract: A photoconductive member comprises a support for a photoconductive member and an amorphous layer exhibiting photoconductivity and comprising an amorphous material comprising silicon atoms as a matrix and at least one member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms as a constituting atom, characterized in that the amorphous layer has a first layer region containing oxygen atoms and a second layer region containing an atom of Group III or an atom of Group V of the Periodic Table and existing interiorly at the support side, and the first layer region and the second layer region share in common at least a portion of said mutual region, and there is the relation:t.sub.B /(T+t.sub.B).ltoreq.0.4where t.sub.B is the thickness of the second layer region and T is a difference between the thickness of the amorphous layer and the thickness of the second layer region t.sub.B.

Abstract: A photoconductive member, is provided which has a support, a first layer having photoconductivity containing an amorphous material comprising silicon atoms as a matrix provided on said support and a second layer containing silicon atoms and carbon atoms as essential components provided on said first layer, wherein said first layer contains at least one kind of atoms selected from the group III of the periodic table together with nitrogen atoms, with the nitrogen atoms having a substantially uniform concentration distribution within said first layer and the group III atoms of the periodic table having a depth concentration profile of said atoms with respect to the layer thickness direction having the maximum concentration at the end surface on the side of said support or in the vicinity thereof and having the concentration of said atoms tending to decrease continuously toward the second layer.

Abstract: A method for producing an image forming member having a deposited layer with photoconductivity formed on a support by introducing a starting material in gaseous state into a deposition chamber which is reduced to a desired pressure and exciting discharging in the gas atmosphere of said starting material, comprises constituting at least a part of said deposited layer of a layer (A) comprising silicon atoms, carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms, said layer (A) being formed of at least one of the compounds represented by the formula:R.sub.m Si.sub.n H.sub.2n+2-m (I)where R is an alkyl having 1 to 15 carbon atoms, m is an integer of 1 to 15, n is an integer of 1 to 5, and m and n satisfy the relation of 2n+2>m.

Abstract: A photoconductive member comprising a support and a light receiving layer provided on said support, having photoconductivity containing silicon atoms as a matrix and at least hydrogen atoms as constituent atom, said light receiving layer having a layer region with depth profile such that the content of hydrogen atoms contained therein is decreased in the direction of layer thickness toward both ends of said layer.

Abstract: A photoconductive member comprises a support for a photoconductive member; a first amorphous layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms as a matrix and exhibiting photoconductivity, said first amorphous layer having a first layer region containing oxygen atoms as constituent atoms in a distribution state which is ununiform and continuous in the direction of layer thickness and a second layer region containing atoms belonging to the group III of the periodic table as constituent atoms in a distribution state which is continuous in the direction of layer thickness, said first layer region existing internally beneath the surface of said first amorphous layer; and a second amorphous layer comprising an amorphous material represented by any of the following formulae:Si.sub.a C.sub.1-a (0.4<a<1) (1)(Si.sub.b C.sub.1-b).sub.c H.sub.1-c (0.5<b<1, 0.6.ltoreq.c<1) (2)(Si.sub.d C.sub.1-d).sub.e X.sub.1-e (0.47<d<1, 0.8.ltoreq.e<1) (3)(Si.sub.f C.sub.1-f).sub.g (H+X).sub.

Abstract: A photoconductive member, comprises a support for a photoconductive member, a first amorphous layer exhibiting photoconductivity comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms as a martix, said first amorphous layer having a first layer region containing oxygen atoms in a distribution which is continuous and ununiform in the direction of layer thickness and a second layer region containing atoms belonging to the group III of the periodic table as constituent atoms in a distribution which is continuous and ununiform in the direction of layer thickness, and a second amorphous layer comprising an amorphous material represented by any of the following formulae:Si.sub.a C.sub.1-a (0.4<a<1) (1)(Si.sub.b C.sub.1-b).sub.c H.sub.1-c (0.5<b<1, 0.6.ltoreq.c<1) (2)(Si.sub.d C.sub.1-d).sub.e X.sub.1-e (0.47<d<1, 0.8.ltoreq.e<1) (3)(Si.sub.f C.sub.1-f).sub.g (H+X).sub.1-g (0.47<f<1, 0.8.ltoreq.g<1) (4)(wherein X represents a halogen atom).

Abstract: A photoconductive member comprises a substrate and a light receiving layer having photoconductive provided on said support, comprising silicon atoms as a matrix and at least halogen atoms as constituent atoms said light receiving layer having a depth profile with respect to the layer thickness direction such that the concentration of halogen atoms contained therein is increased from the said substrate side toward the surface side of the photoconductive member.

Abstract: A photoconductive member comprises a support for photoconductive member, an interface layer constituted of an amorphous material containing at least silicon atoms and nitrogen atoms as constituent atoms, a rectifying layer comprising an amorphous material containing atoms (A) belonging to the group III or the group V of the periodic table as constituent atoms in a matrix of silicon atoms and an amorphous layer exhibiting photoconductivity constituted of an amorphous material containing at least one of hydrogen atoms or halogen atoms as constituent atoms in a matrix of silicon atoms, said rectifying layer having a layer thickness t which from 30 .ANG. up to, but not reaching, 0.3.mu. and the content C(A) of the aforesaid atoms contained in the rectifying layer being 30 atomic ppm or more, or said t being 30 .ANG. or more and said C(A) being from 30 atomic ppm up to, but not reaching, 100 atomic ppm.

Abstract: A photoconductive member comprising a support for photoconductive member and an amorphous layer exhibiting photoconductivity comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms as a matrix is characterized in that said amorphous layer has a first layer region containing, as constituent atoms, oxygen atoms in a distribution which is nonuniform and continuous in the direction of the layer thickness and a second layer region containing, as constituent atoms, the atoms (A) belonging to group III or group V of the periodic table in a distribution which is continuous in the direction of the layer thickness, said second layer existing internally beneath the surface of said amorphous layer.

Abstract: A photoconductive member comprises a support for photoconductive member and an amorphous layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms as a matrix and exhibiting photoconductivity, said amorphous layer having a first layer region containing, as constituent atoms, oxygen atoms and a second layer region containing, as constituent atoms, the atoms belonging to the group V of the periodic table in a distribution which is continuous in the direction of the layer thickness and more enriched toward the side of said support.

Abstract: A photoconductive member comprises a support for a photoconductive member and an amorphous layer containing an amorphous material comprising silicon atom as a matrix and having photoconductivity, said amorphous layer comprising a first layer region containing oxygen atom as a constituent atom, the oxygen atom being distributed continuously in the direction of the layer thickness and enriched at the support side, and a second layer region containing an atom of the group III of the periodic table as a constituent atom, said first layer region being internally present at the support side in the amorphous layer, and the layer thickness T.sub.B of said second layer region and a layer thickness T resulted from subtracting T.sub.B from the layer thickness of the amorphous layer satisfying the relation, T.sub.B /T.ltoreq.1.