Abstract: A film-forming method and apparatus by high frequency plasma CVD, characterized by using a specific high frequency power introduction means comprising at least an electrode for introducing a high frequency power into a deposition chamber containing a substrate therein and an insulating member which covers the electrode such that the surface of the electrode is isolated from glow discharge caused in the deposition chamber, the electrode being provided with a plurality of gas ejection holes for ejecting gas against an inner face of the insulating member, wherein the formation of a deposited film on the substrate in the deposition chamber is conducted while ejecting gas (inert gas or hydrogen gas) from the gas ejection holes of the electrode against the inner face of the insulating member.

Abstract: A process for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising the steps of depositing a non-single crystal material composed basically of silicon atoms, on a cylindrical substrate in a deposition chamber, thereafter once taking the substrate with film out of the deposition chamber, then returning it to the deposition chamber, and thereafter again depositing thereon a non-single-crystal material composed basically of carbon atoms. In another embodiment, the process comprises the steps of depositing on a cylindrical substrate a photoconductive layer formed of a non-single crystal material, subjecting to surface processing the deposited film having protrusions present at its surface, and depositing on the processed surface a surface protective layer formed of a non-single-crystal material. Also disclosed is the electrophotographic photosensitive member thus obtained, and an electrophotographic apparatus having that member.

Abstract: In an image-forming apparatus having at least i) an electrophotographic photosensitive member having at least a photoconductive layer and a surface layer on a conductive substrate, ii) a developing means having a toner, and iii) a charging means, the photoconductive layer comprises a non-single-crystal material composed chiefly of silicon, the surface layer comprises a non-single-crystal carbon film containing at least hydrogen and has a dynamic hardness in the range of from 4.90×109 to 1.76×1010 Pa (500 to 1,800 kgf/mm2), the charging means has a charging member kept in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, forming a contact zone therewith, charges the electrophotographic photosensitive member electrostatically upon application of a voltage, and the toner is a magnetic toner having toner particles containing at least a binder resin and a magnetic material, and an inorganic fine powder, having an average circularity of from 0.950 to 1.

Abstract: For enhancing plasma uniformity and long-term stability so as to readily form a film with excellent uniformity of thickness and quality and with good repeatability and for suppressing occurrence of image defects and drastically increasing the yield to form a deposited film ready for volume production, particularly, a functional deposit film (for example, an amorphous semiconductor used for semiconductor devices, electrophotographic photosensitive members, photovoltaic devices, and so on) is formed in an apparatus including a reaction vessel which can be hermetically evacuated, a substrate holder in the reaction vessel, a source gas supply, a power supply for high-frequency power. An end covering member is provided at an end of each of the substrate holder, the source gas supply and the power supply.

Abstract: In an image-forming apparatus having at least i) an electrophotographic photosensitive member having at least a photoconductive layer and a surface layer on a conductive substrate, ii) a developing means having a toner, and iii) a charging means, the photoconductive layer comprises a non-single-crystal material composed chiefly of silicon, the surface layer comprises a non-single-crystal carbon film containing at least hydrogen and has an arithmetic-mean roughness Ra ranging from 0 nm to 100 nm in an extent of 10 &mgr;m×10 &mgr;m of the surface layer, the charging mean is a magnetic-brush charging assembly or an elastic-roller charging assembly holding thereon a conductive fine powder, and the toner is a magnetic toner having toner particles containing at least a binder resin and a magnetic material, and an inorganic fine powder, having an average circularity of from 0.950 to 1.000, and having a saturation magnetization of from 10 to 50 Am2/kg (emu/g) under application of a magnetic field of 79.

Abstract: A film-forming apparatus is provided which comprises a reaction chamber capable of being vacuumed and having a reaction space in which a plurality of substrates can be arranged on a common circumference to establish an inner space circumscribed by the plurality of substrates. A film-forming raw material gas can be introduced into the inner space. A first electrode for supplying a high frequency power into the inner space is provided at a central position in the inner space circumscribed by the plurality of substrates. A second electrode is provided outside the plurality of substrates arranged on the common circumference. A shielding member having a dielectric portion constituted by a dielectric material is provided between the second electrode and the plurality of substrates arranged on the common circumference.

Abstract: As the surface layers of an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a first surface layer which satisfies a condition that a center line average surface roughness (Ra) ranges from 50 Å to 5000 Å and a second surface layer comprising a non-single-crystal carbon containing at least fluorine are laminated in this order. Thus, the generation of a defective image such as the dimness of an image or an image smearing can be suppressed under an environment of high temperature and high humidity without providing any heater even when an electrophotographic apparatus is repeatedly employed. Further, even when a toner of small particle size and excellent in its fixing characteristic is used, a cleaning characteristic can be improved and the fusion of the toner can be suppressed. Still further, even in an electrophotographic process with a frictional force raised for improving the cleaning characteristic, the cleaning characteristic can be improved and the fusion of the toner can be suppressed.

Abstract: For permitting increase in productivity and improvement in uniformity and reproducibility of characteristics of deposited films while maintaining good film characteristics, a plasma processing apparatus is constructed in such structure that a plurality of cylindrical substrates are set in a depressurizable reaction vessel and that a source gas supplied into the reaction vessel is decomposed by a high frequency power introduced from a high frequency power introducing means to generate a plasma to permit deposited film formation, etching, or surface modification on the cylindrical substrates, wherein the plurality of cylindrical substrates are placed at equal intervals on the same circumference and wherein the high frequency power introducing means is provided outside the placing circumference for the cylindrical substrates.

Abstract: For enhancing plasma uniformity and long-term stability so as to readily form a film with excellent uniformity of thickness and quality and with good repeatability and for suppressing occurrence of image defects and drastically increasing the yield to form a deposited film ready for volume production, particularly, a functional deposit film (for example, an amorphous semiconductor used for semiconductor devices, electrophotographic photosensitive members, photovoltaic devices, and so on) is formed in an apparatus including a reaction vessel which can be hermetically evacuated, a substrate holder in the reaction vessel, a source gas supply, a power supply for high-frequency power. An end covering member is provided at an end of each of the substrate holder, the source gas supply and the power supply.

Abstract: A film-forming apparatus is provided which comprises a reaction chamber capable of being vacuumed and having a reaction space in which a plurality of substrates can be arranged on a common circumference to establish an inner space circumscribed by the plurality of substrates. A film-forming raw material gas can be introduced into the inner space. A first electrode for supplying a high frequency power into the inner space is provided at a central position in the inner space circumscribed by the plurality of substrates. A second electrode is provided outside the plurality of substrates arranged on the common circumference. A shielding member having a dielectric portion constituted by a dielectric material is provided between the second electrode and the plurality of substrates arranged on the common circumference.

Abstract: A light-receiving member comprising a conductive substrate, and formed superposingly thereon a photosensitive layer and a surface protective layer in order. The light-receiving member has a surface roughness Ra of from 15 nm to 100 nm. Also disclosed is an image-forming apparatus having such a light-receiving member, and an image-forming method of rendering visible an electrostatic pattern formed on the light-receiving member. The light-receiving member promises stable formation of images over a long period of time.

Abstract: A cleaning method for an electrophotographic photosensitive member that eliminate corrosion and cleaning irregularities of a substrate during cleaning, and a method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member which is easy to operate and capable of stably forming the photosensitive member at a low cost, in a high yield, and at a high speed. The cleaning method is a water-based cleaning method of cleaning a cylindrical substrate for an electrophotographic photosensitive member, using at least one selected from the group consisting of pure water, pure water having dissolved carbon dioxide, and pure water containing a surface active agent, wherein the cylindrical substrate is cleaned by a cleaning liquid ejected from a plurality of nozzles, and wherein those surfaces of the cleaning liquid ejected from the respective nozzles which are in contact with a surface of the cylindrical substrate do not interfere with each other, and the cleaning apparatus is arranged to carry out the cleaning method.

Abstract: A plasma processing method comprising the steps of arranging a substrate on a film is to be formed in a reaction chamber capable of being vacuumed and evacuating the inside of the reaction chamber in a loading stage; and separating the reaction chamber from the loading stage and joining the reaction chamber to a treating stage where the substrate arranged in the reaction chamber is subjected to plasma processing, wherein the reaction chamber is moved on a track to join to the treating stage, where a high frequency power supply system, a processing gas supply system and an exhaustion system are joined to the reaction chamber, whereby plasma is produced in the reaction chamber to conduct plasma processing on the substrate. An apparatus suitable for practicing said plasma processing method.

Abstract: A self-oscillation switching power supply apparatus of the ringing choke converter type comprises a transformer T including a primary winding N1, a secondary winding N2, and a feedback winding NB; a switching transistor Q1 which oscillates in a self-oscillating fashion in response to a feedback signal from the feedback winding NB thereby turning on and off the current flowing through the primary winding; a rectifying and smoothing circuit connected to the secondary winding; an oscillation frequency control circuit including a control transistor Q3 for controlling a control signal input to the switching transistor Q1 thereby controlling the control transistor Q3 so as to extend the off-time in the self-oscillation period of the switching transistor Q1; and an oscillation frequency control disabling circuit for disabling the control of the control transistor Q3 in accordance with a remote signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method uses an electrophotographic photosensitive member that includes a conductive substrate. The photosensitive member has a photoconductive layer thereon formed of a non-single-crystal material mainly composed of at least silicon atoms. Charging, exposure, development and cleaning in the image forming arrangement are repeated while the photosensitive member rotates. The dynamic frictional force (unit: gf) produced when the photosensitive member surface is cleaned by a cleaning blade to remove a developer remaining on that surface is so set that its standard deviation in its change with time is 2 gf or below per 1 gf/cm of linear pressure of the cleaning blade. No melt-adhesion of toner results and durability is high enough to stably obtain images of high quality.

Abstract: In a vacuum processing apparatus comprising a reactor and a vacuum pump connected to the reactor to draw up a gas held in the reactor, the vacuum pump comprising a diffusion pump and an auxiliary pump, the diffusion pump and the auxiliary pump are connected through an exhaust line and a cooling unit is provided in the exhaust line, where the gas is cooled by the cooling unit to liquefy or condense an oil smoke comprised of a diffusion pump oil contained in the gas, to cause the resultant oil to deposit in the exhaust line.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic apparatus having a structure for scrape-cleaning a developer of an average particle diameter of 5 to 8 &mgr;m with an elastic rubber blade having a modulus of repulsion elasticity of not less than 10% nor more than 50%, by using a light receiving member having a surface layer comprised of a non-monocrystalline fluorinated carbon film in which the wear loss after copying steps of 10,000 A4-size transfer sheets is not less than 0.1 Å nor more than 100 Å, in which the dynamic hardness is within the range of 10 to 500 kgf/mm2, and in which the fluorine content is not less than 5 atomic % nor more than 50 atomic %, an electrophotographic apparatus is provided which can prevent scattering or fusion of a developer, uneven scraping of a surface layer and image smearing irrespective of the service environment conditions and also can prevent image smearing without provision of means for directly heating the light receiving member.

Abstract: In a vacuum processing apparatus comprising a reactor and a vacuum pump connected to the reactor to draw up a gas held in the reactor, the vacuum pump comprising a diffusion pump and an auxiliary pump, the diffusion pump and the auxiliary pump are connected through an exhaust line and a cooling unit is provided in the exhaust line, whereby the gas is cooled by the cooling unit to liquefy or condense an oil smoke comprised of a diffusion pump oil contained in the gas, to cause the resultant oil to deposit in the exhaust line. The diffusion pump oil can be prevented from flowing into the auxiliary pump even when material gases fed in at a high rate are exhausted.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for plasma-processing a substrate arranged in a reaction chamber using a high frequency power supplied by a high frequency power introduction means, wherein said high frequency power introduction means comprises a cathode electrode and a conductor portion capable of transmitting a high frequency power to said cathode electrode, said conductor portion being penetrated a wall of said reaction chamber while said conductor portion being electrically isolated from said wall of said reaction chamber by means of an insulating material, at least a part of said insulating material comprising a porous ceramic material, wherein a fluid is introduced through said porous ceramic material to control the temperature of said cathode electrode and/or that of said conductor portion.

Abstract: For permitting increase in productivity and improvement in uniformity and reproducibility of characteristics of deposited films while maintaining good film characteristics, a plasma processing apparatus is constructed in such structure that a plurality of cylindrical substrates are set in a depressurizable reaction vessel and that a source gas supplied into the reaction vessel is decomposed by a high frequency power introduced from a high frequency power introducing means to generate a plasma to permit deposited film formation, etching, or surface modification on the cylindrical substrates, wherein the plurality of cylindrical substrates are placed at equal intervals on the same circumference and wherein the high frequency power introducing means is provided outside the placing circumference for the cylindrical substrates.