Abstract: The peeling of a thin-film single-crystal from a substrate is carried out so that the directions of straight lines on the single-crystal surface made by planes on which the single-crystal is apt to cleave are different from the front line direction of the peeled single-crystal. This single-crystal is used in a solar cell and a drive circuit member of an image display element. A method is provided which prevents a decrease in quality and yield of a single crystal layer when it is peeled from a substrate. A flexible solar cell module having a thin film single-crystal layer is made so that its flexing direction is different from the single-crystal's cleaving direction. Thus, a thin-film single-crystal solar cell module having excellent durability and reliability due to a lack of defect or cracking during production and use, and a method for producing the same, is provided.

Abstract: A plasma CVD apparatus comprising a substantially enclosed reaction chamber containing substrate holding means and a cathode electrode arranged therein, wherein a high frequency power from a high frequency power source is supplied to said cathode electrode to generate plasma between said substrate holding means having a subtrate positioned thereon and said cathode electrode whereby plasma-processing said substrate, characterized in that said cathode electrode comprises a plurality of conductor members situated on substantially the same axis which are capacitively coupled by a dielectric member. A plasma-processing method using said cathode electrode.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member capable of obtaining high-quality uniform images without image defects and nonuniformity in image density. The method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a step forming a functional film on a substrate, and a washing step of spraying water on the substrate surface from concentrically arranged nozzle groups positioned in a twisted relationship before the step of forming the functional film.

Abstract: A substrate treatment process is disclosed which comprises plural steps of delivering a long substrate with application of tensile force to the substrate, wherein the strength of the tensile force is changed at least between a first delivery step and a second delivery step. This process prevents enlargement of edge waviness of a belt-shaped substrate to stabilize the plasma discharge.

Abstract: In order to maintain excellent electrical, optical and photoconductive characteristics and to significantly improve the durability under adverse environments, a light receiving member for electrophotography according to the present invention comprises in sequence: a supporting member and a light receiving layer; said light receiving layer comprising in sequence at least a photoconductive layer and a surface layer thereon, said photoconductive layer comprising a non-single-crystal material containing silicon atoms as a matrix, and said surface layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and carbon atoms as a matrix, wherein the carbon atoms are at least diamond-bonded and graphite-bonded, and wherein from 2% to 30% by number of the carbon atoms are graphite-bonded.

Abstract: A chemical-reaction inducing means is provided in an exhaust line connecting a processing space for subjecting a substrate or a film to plasma processing to an exhaust means, and at least either an unreacted gas or byproduct exhausted from the processing space are caused to chemically react without allowing plasma in the processing space to reach the chemical-reaction inducing means, thereby improving the processing ability of the chemical-reaction inducing means to process the unreacted gas or byproduct.

Abstract: In a deposited film forming process or apparatus, a deposited film is formed on a film-forming substrate by reduced-pressure vapor phase growth. The film-forming substrate is set on an auxiliary substrate and an auxiliary-substrate cap member is set at the upper part thereof. A maximum temperature difference between temperature at the upper end of the film-forming substrate and the temperature at the lower end of the auxiliary-substrate cap member provided on the film-forming substrate at its upper part is so controlled as to be not greater than a prescribed value so that a film deposited on the auxiliary-substrate cap member is improved in adhesion. Any deposits of films on the part other than the film-forming substrate can be prevented from coming off and scattering on the film-forming substrate so that deposited films having uniform film thickness and film quality can steadily be formed and also faulty images can occur less frequently.

Abstract: A gas adsorptive member is disposed in a space communicating with film deposition chambers, and deposition films are deposited while continuously feeding gas components released from this member, thereby enabling the high quality and uniform deposition films to be formed on the substrate with good reproducibility.

Abstract: A film deposition apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a gas supplier, a gas exhauster, and a discharging means, the film deposition apparatus forming a deposited film on a substrate provided in the vacuum chamber by a plasma enhanced CVD process, wherein at least one louver is provided at the interior and/or vicinity of the plasma discharging space in the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A film-forming method by a plasma CVD process, comprising introducing a raw material gas into a reaction chamber containing a substrate positioned therein through a plurality of gas ejecting holes provided at a gas feed pipe and introducing a discharging energy into said reaction chamber to excite and decompose said film-forming raw material gas introduced into said reaction chamber whereby causing the formation of a deposited film on said substrate, characterized in that the introduction of said film-forming raw material gas into said reaction chamber is conducted by ejecting the film-forming raw material gas toward a member opposed to the substrate from each of right and left sides of the gas feed pipe through the gas ejecting holes of the gas feed pipe at a gas-ejecting angle (a) of 45.degree..ltoreq.(a)<90.degree. to a line which is passing through between said cylindrical substrate and each of said plurality of gas feed pipes.

Abstract: To provide an electrophotographic photosensitive member manufacturing method capable of preventing a substrate from corroding in working of the substrate and obtaining a high-quality image free from image defects and image density unevenness, the method of manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises the step of forming a functional film made of an amorphous material on the surface of an aluminum substrate by reduced-pressure vapor deposition, wherein the surface of the substrate is cleaned with the water containing an inhibitor as a specific component before the step of forming an electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member capable of obtaining high-quality uniform images without image defects and nonuniformity in image density. The method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a step forming a functional film on a substrate, and a washing step of spraying water on the substrate surface from concentrically arranged nozzle groups positioned in a twisted relationship before the step of forming the functional film.

Abstract: For maintaining good cleanability even in use of low-melting-point or small-particle-diameter toner, thereby achieving a breakthrough improvement in the quality of image, the following conditions are satisfied:0.001.ltoreq.x/y.ltoreq.0.1,30.ltoreq.a/x.ltoreq.200, and0.1.ltoreq.a/y.ltoreq.3(x: height of unevenness, y: pitch of unevenness, a: particle diameter of toner).

Abstract: An electrophotographic light receiving member comprising a substrate in a cylindrical form and a light receiving layer formed on said substrate, wherein said substrate has (i) a portion with an enlarged bore at least on the side of an end portion of said substrate and (ii) a portion in a tapered form situated next to and outside said portion (i). An electrophotographic apparatus provided with said electrophotographic light receiving member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a substrate and a light receiving layer composed of a silicon-containing non-single crystal material disposed on said substrate, characterized in that said light receiving layer contains a plurality of columnar structure regions each grown from a nucleus situated in said light receiving layer wherein said plurality of columnar structure regions are arranged substantially in parallel to the thicknesswise direction of said light receiving layer and at a density in the range of 5/cm.sup.2 to 500/cm.sup.2.

Abstract: An improved microwave plasma CVD process for forming a functional deposited film using a microwave transmissive window composed of a sintered alpha-alumina ceramics body containing alpha-alumina as a matrix comprised of fine particles with a mean particle size d satisfying the equation 0.5 .mu.m.ltoreq.d.ltoreq.50 .mu.m and with a ratio of .rho..sub.2 /.rho..sub.1 between the theoretical density .rho..sub.1 and the bulk density .rho..sub.2 satisfying the equation 0.800.ltoreq..rho..sub.2 /.rho..sub.1 .ltoreq.0.995.

Abstract: A light receiving member comprising a substrate and a light receiving layer disposed on said substrate, said light receiving layer having a stacked structure comprising a plurality of constituent layers each being composed of a non-single crystal material containing silicon atoms as a matrix and at least either hydrogen atoms or halogen atoms, characterized in that said light receiving layer has a region containing at least one kind of atoms selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms at an enhanced concentration distribution in the thickness direction in the vicinity of at least one layer interface of the light receiving layer.

Abstract: A method of treating a substrate for an electrophotographic photosensitive member by a process comprises the steps;a) cutting the surface of the substrate to remove the surface in the desired thickness; andb) bringing the cut surface of the substrate into contact with water having a temperature of from 5.degree. C. to 90.degree. C., having a resistivity of not less than 11 M.OMEGA..multidot.cm at 25.degree. C., containing fine particles with a particle diameter of not smaller than 0.2 .mu.m in a quantity of not more than 10,000 particles per milliliter, containing microorganisms in a total viable cell count of not more than 100 per milliliter and containing an organic matter in a quantity of not more than 10 mg per liter, for at least 10 seconds at a pressure of from 1 kg.multidot.f/cm.sup.2 to 300 kg.multidot.f/cm.sup.2.

Abstract: A deposited film-forming apparatus comprising a reaction chamber capable of maintaining at a reduced pressure, means for arranging a substrate on which a film is to be formed in said reaction chamber, a gas feed means for supplying a gaseous raw material into said reaction chamber and means for introducing a microwave energy into said reaction chamber, characterized in that said gas feed means is arranged in the space circumscribed by said substrate, said gas feed means comprises a multiple pipe structure, said multiple pipe structure being connected to a gas supply source for supplying said gaseous raw material, the respective constituent pipes of said multiple pipe structure being provided with a plurality of gas spouting holes such that said gas spouting holes are in communication with each other, and means for applying a bias voltage between said substrate and said gas feed means.

Abstract: Flanges used in a photosensitive drum to be regenerated are assembled in a regenerated electrophotography photosensitive drum employing a regenerated cylinder having a diameter enlarged by regeneration processes.The regenerated electrophotography photosensitive drum is obtained by enlarging the diameter of the photosensitive drum to be regenerated whose photosensitive film has not functioned normally because of being used up or damaged during preparation or the like, cutting off the surface, including the photosensitive film, of the cylinder with predetermined precision with respect to the outer diameter and the surface, and forming a photosensitive film on the resultant regenerated cylinder.