Abstract: A toner including at least a binder resin; a colorant; and a charge controlling agent, in which the binder resin includes at least a polyester resin having a molecular weight distribution such that components having a molecular weight not greater than 500 are included in an amount of 4% by weight and at least a peak is present in a range of from 3,000 to 9,000 when measured by Gel Permeation Chromatography. In addition, the binder resin does not include a tetrahydrofuran-insoluble compound and the charge controlling agent is a resin charge controlling agent including at least units obtained from a monomer including a sulfonate group; an aromatic monomer including an electron absorption group; and an acrylic ester and/or a methacrylic ester monomer.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus develops an electrostatic latent image with a two-component developer consisting of magnetic carriers and toners by using a development apparatus and a latent image supporter including a filler in an outermost layer thereof, the development apparatus having a developer supporter, which has an internally fixed magnetic body and rotates while supporting a developer on a surface thereof, and a developer quantity controller controlling a quantity of the developer which is supported by the developer supporter facing the magnetic body and controlling a height of magnetic brushes and consisting of materials having rigidity or rigidity and magnetic properties, wherein a ratio (Gp/Gd) of a development gap to a doctor gap between the developer supporter and the controller is from 0.7 to 1.0, and a weight-averaged particle diameter of a developer carrier is from 20 to 60 &mgr;m.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection object silicon wafer for the purpose of detecting crystal defects and the method of detection thereof, which make easy the detection of the number and location of the defects formed on the surface of the silicon wafer by performing heat treatment and epitaxial growth under a temperature condition in which the natural oxide film is removed but the state of the surface of the silicon wafer is preserved, specifically under a hydrogen atmosphere of normal pressure and a temperature between 900° C. and 1080° C., through which defects having pits and projections are generated on the surface of the epitaxial layer. and by detecting the defects having pits and protrusions by a light scattering type particle inspection apparatus.

Abstract: The electrophotographic toner according to the present invention comprises a binder resin, a colorant, and a negative charge control agent. The binder resin is polyester and/or polyol. The negative charge control agent comprises components which are (1) sulfonic-acid containing monomers, (2) aromatic monomers having electron-withdrawing groups, and (3) acrylate monomers and/or methacrylate monomers. In particular, substituted phenyl maleimides and substituted phenyl itaconimides are prefereably used as the aromatic monomers. Moreover, n-butyl (meth)acrylates and 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylates are prefereably used as the acrylate monomers and/or methacrylate monomers.

Abstract: An image formation method includes the steps of charging the surface of an electrophotographic photoconductor, exposing the charged photoconductor to a light image to form a latent electrostatic image on the photoconductor, developing the latent electrostatic image using a two-component developer containing a toner and a carrier to obtain a toner image, and transferring the toner image to an image receiving material directly or via an intermediate transfer member, with the photoconductor showing a surface friction coefficient of 0.40 or less, and the toner having toner particles with an average circularity of 0.930 or more.

Abstract: A developing device using one component developer for developing an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductive drum. The one component developer includes particles of parents of toner, resin beads and silica. The silica adhere to a surface of each resin bead. The resin beads and the silica further adhere to a surface of the parents of toner. A volume average diameter of the resin beads is more than that of the silica and is less than that of the parents of toner.