Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photoconductive layer on an electrically conductive substrate, the photoconductive layer being formed from a non-single-crystal material constituted by at least silicon atoms as a base material, and a non-single-crystal layer region constituted by silicon atoms and carbon atoms as base materials, the non-single-crystal layer region being laminated on the photoconductive layer, in which the content distribution of the oxygen atoms to a total amount of component atoms in a thickness direction within the non-single-crystal layer region has a peak.

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: An electrophotographic photosensitive member production process is provided having the steps of placing a cylindrical substrate having a conductive surface in a first film-forming chamber, and decomposing a source gas with high-frequency power to deposit on the cylindrical substrate a first layer formed of a non-single-crystal material, taking out of the first film-forming chamber the cylindrical substrate with the first layer deposited thereon, and placing the cylindrical substrate with the first layer deposited thereon in a second film-forming chamber, and decomposing a source gas with a high-frequency power to deposit on the first layer a second layer having an upper-part blocking layer formed of a non-single-crystal material. Even where abnormal growth portions called spherical protuberances are present on the photosensitive member surface, they can be made not to appear on images, and image defects can vastly be remedied.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member such that even if abnormal grown portions called spherical protrusions 203 exist on the surface of the photosensitive member, they do not appear on images, thus making it possible to considerably alleviate image defects.

Abstract: A compressor for receiving at least one compression element in a sealed container is provided. The sealed container comprises a container body and a cover member for blocking an opening of the container body, both of which are made of an aluminum material. The cover member is electrically welded to the container body over an entire circumference of the cover member, and thick ribs with a thickness dimension extending from a circumference portion to a central portion are formed with a predetermined pitch on the cover member. In this manner, an increase in the manufacturing cost and a reduction of the workability can be substantially suppressed, while the reliability of the sealed container of the compressor and the aluminum members assembled by arc welding can be substantially improved.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member production process is provided having the steps of placing a cylindrical substrate having a conductive surface in a first film-forming chamber, and decomposing a source gas with high-frequency power to deposit on the cylindrical substrate a first layer formed of a non-single-crystal material, taking out of the first film-forming chamber the cylindrical substrate with the first layer deposited thereon, and placing the cylindrical substrate with the first layer deposited thereon in a second film-forming chamber, and decomposing a source gas with a high-frequency power to deposit on the first layer a second layer having an upper-part blocking layer formed of a non-single-crystal material. Even where abnormal growth portions called spherical protuberances are present on the photosensitive member surface, they can be made not to appear on images, and image defects can vastly be remedied.

Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photoconductive layer on an electrically conductive substrate, the photoconductive layer being formed from a non-single-crystal material constituted by at least silicon atoms as a base material, and a non-single-crystal layer region constituted by silicon atoms and carbon atoms as base materials, the non-single-crystal layer region being laminated on the photoconductive layer, in which the content distribution of the oxygen atoms to a total amount of component atoms in a thickness direction within the non-single-crystal layer region has a peak.

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: A compressor for receiving at least one compression element in a sealed container is provided. The sealed container comprises a container body and a cover member for blocking an opening of the container body, both of which are made of an aluminum material. The cover member is electrically welded to the container body over an entire circumference of the cover member, and thick ribs with a thickness dimension extending from a circumference portion to a central portion are formed with a predetermined pitch on the cover member. In this manner, an increase in the manufacturing cost and a reduction of the workability can be substantially suppressed, while the reliability of the sealed container of the compressor and the aluminum members assembled by arc welding can be substantially improved.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member such that even if abnormal grown portions called spherical protrusions 203 exist on the surface of the photosensitive member, they do not appear on images, thus making it possible to considerably alleviate image defects.

Abstract: There is provided an electrophotographic method, in which influence on an image quality attributable to the conditions of the photoreceptor surface is reduced and much sharper and high image quality having high resolution is obtained, when a spot size of the exposure light is made finer as progress is made in high resolution. In a digital exposure system electrophotographic method of a BAE system which performs scan-exposing for an image formation on a photoreceptor, a photoreceptor comprising a supporting member 401 comprising aluminum or an aluminum alloy and a photosensitive layer 402 deposited on the supporting member surface by applying surface treatment using water on its surface, on which a convex structure is formed corresponding to a boundary portion of a crystal grain boundary of the supporting member surface is used.

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: An electrophotographic image forming method having cyclic steps including a charging step of charging a rotating image-bearing member to charge a surface thereof, a latent image forming steps of forming an electrostatic latent image on the charged surface of the image-bearing member, a developing step of developing the electrostatic latent image with a magnetic toner to form a toner image thereon, and a transfer step of transferring the toner image onto a recording material. In the method, the image-bearing member includes an electroconductive support, and a photoconductor layer and a surface layer formed on the support.

Abstract: To provide an amorphous Si photosensitive member and an image forming apparatus which form favorable images by preventing toner adhesion at a cleaning time. A photoconductive layer 102 containing amorphous Si is formed on an electrically conductive substrate 101 so that a surface of a photosensitive member has an average inclination &Dgr;a within a range of 0.12 to 1.0, more preferably 0.15 to 0.8 within a range of 10 &mgr;m×10 &mgr;m, and an electrically conductive substrate has surface roughness Ra within the range of 10 &mgr;m×10 &mgr;m is lower than 9 nm, preferably lower than 6 nm.

Abstract: Provided are an electrophotographic method and an electrophotographic apparatus that can reduce ghost memory latent in an a-Si photosensitive member, relieve potential unevenness, and provide image copies with high quality. In an electrophotographic process of forming a toner image at least through decharging of a photosensitive member as a recording element, charging, exposing, developing, and transferring, at least a light-receiving layer of the photosensitive member is comprised of an amorphous material; a latent image is formed by the exposing with a light; the light has such a peak wavelength in an emission spectrum as to make minimum a value of optical memory at a unit contrast potential; and the decharging is implemented by use of a light having a full width at half maximum of a peak in an emission spectrum of not more than 50 nm.

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: An electrophotographic apparatus has a light scanning device for guiding a light beam onto a rotary polygon mirror and deflecting the light beam; and a recording medium which the light beam deflected by the light scanning device scans to form an image. The recording medium is an a-Si base photosensitive member. The electrophotographic apparatus satisfies a relation represented by Eq. (I) below; 3.0≧D/W≧1.5  (I) where D is a diameter of the light beam at a reflecting surface of the rotary polygon mirror and W is a width in a main scanning direction of a deflecting surface of the rotary polygon mirror.

Abstract: To provide a Si photosensitive member and an image forming apparatus which prevents toner adherence at the time of cleaning and forms an excellent image, an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a photoconductive layer including amorphous Si and a surface protective layer which are formed on an electroconductive substrate has a difference in the height of concave and convex corresponding to 90% and 50% of a cumulative frequency of the height of concave and convex with respect to the most deepest point of surface roughness concave and convex within a range of 10 &mgr;m×10 &mgr;m of the photosensitive member as a standard which is set within a range of 3 nm to 200 nm.

Abstract: An a-Si photosensitive member and an image forming apparatus are provided which prevent fusion bonding in digital copying machines and attain satisfactory image formation. Specifically, in order that even when uneven abrasion occurs on a drum surface layer, it may not substantially affect the image, a photosensitive member formed by successively stacking on a conductive substrate a photoconductive layer comprising amorphous Si and a surface protective layer comprised of an amorphous material is provided such that the spectral reflectance (%) satisfies the relation of 0≦(Max−Min)/(Max+Min)≦0.20, and a center line average roughness Ra1 of the interface on the surface side of the photoconductive layer and the center line average roughness Ra2 of the outermost surface of the surface layer, within the range of 10 &mgr;m×10 &mgr;m, satisfy the relations of Ra1/Ra2≧1.3 and 22 nm≦Ra1≦100 nm.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that has an image bearing body, charging device for charging the image bearing body, and exposing device for exposing the image bearing body charged by the charging device, wherein the exposing device illuminates a light beam for each of pixels corresponding to a non-imaged portion of a pixel matrix having plural rows and plural columns, and wherein, when it is assumed that a width of one pixel in the pixel matrix is A and a distribution width in a half value of a maximum potential value of potential distribution formed in OFF of light beam illumination of one pixel is Wv, a following relationship is satisfied: 0.6≦Wv/A≦1.4.