Abstract: A device including a hard shield material; a layer including aluminum or copper; and a silicon layer having a first thickness is disclosed. The device can also include a silicon layer having a second thickness. A method of making the device is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for converting polychlorosilanes into hexachlorodisilane, by one or more trimeric polychlorosilanes or a trimeric polychlorosilane in a mixture with higher molecular weight polychlorosilanes being exposed to a gas discharge and hexachlorodisilane being formed and isolated.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photoconductive layer and, provided on the photoconductive layer, a surface layer constituted of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide, the ratio of the number of atoms of carbon atoms (C) to the sum of the number of atoms of silicon atoms (Si) and number of atoms of carbon atoms (C), C/(Si+C), in the surface layer is from 0.61 or more to 0.75 or less, and the sum of atom density of the silicon atoms and atom density of the carbon atoms in the surface layer is 6.60×1022atom/cm3 or more.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus has an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a surface layer of an amorphous silicon carbide. The ratio of the atom density (C) of carbon atoms to the sum of the atom density (Si) of silicon atoms and the atom density (C) of carbon atoms, C/(Si+C), in the surface layer is set larger from one end portion toward the other end portion of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in the direction of rotational axis thereof, and is from 0.61 or more to 0.75 or less in the entire region of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in the direction of rotational axis thereof. The electrophotographic apparatus has an air current generator which draws out air from the side of the one end portion toward the side of the other end portion.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member is disclosed which has a change layer consisting of five or more a-SiC intermediate layers, provided between an a-Si photoconductive layer and an a-SiC surface layer. Where two layers contiguous to each other in which C/(Si+C) is from 0.35 to 0.65 are selected from among the a-SiC intermediate layers included in the change layer, the rate of increase between the C/(Si+C) of an a-SiC intermediate layer on the photoconductive layer side and the C/(Si+C) of an a-SiC intermediate layer on the surface layer side (i.e., the rate of increase between layers) is 19% or less.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a photoconductive layer, an intermediate layer, and a surface layer. When Si+C atom density in the surface layer is represented by DS×1022 atoms/cm3, the DS is 6.60 or more, and when the maximal value of H/(Si+H) in a distribution of hydrogen quantity in the photoconductive layer in a layer thickness direction is represented by HPmax, the average value of the H/(Si+H) in the second photoconductive region is represented by HP2, the DS and the HP2 satisfy the following expression (1) and the DS and the HPmax satisfy the following expression (2). HP2?0.07×DS?0.38??Expression (1) HPmax?0.04×DS+0.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a conductive substrate, a photoconductive layer on the conductive substrate, and a surface layer made of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide on the photoconductive layer. A ratio (C/(Si+C)) in the surface layer is 0.61 to 0.75, both inclusive, an Si+C atom density in the surface layer is 6.60×1022 atoms/cm3 or more, and an arithmetic average roughness Ra of the surface layer is 0.029 ?m to 0.500 ?m, both inclusive.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a photoconductive layer and, provided on the photoconductive layer, a surface layer containing a hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide. A ratio of the number of carbon atoms (C) to the sum of the number of silicon atoms (Si) and number of carbon atoms (C), C/(Si+C), in the surface layer is from 0.61 or more to 0.75 or less, and the sum of atom density of the silicon atoms and atom density of the carbon atoms in the surface layer is 6.60×1022 atom/cm3 or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a step of forming a first surface layer and a second surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member by supplying a source gas into a reaction vessel so that C2/S2, which are respectively flow rates of CH4 and SiH4 flowing when the second surface layer is formed, can be 3 or more and 25 or less, and C1/S1, which are respectively flow rates of CH4 and SiH4 flowing when the first surface layer is formed, can be C2/S2 or more but 60 or less. The method includes an additional step of adjusting the high-frequency power so that P2>P1 can be satisfied, which are high-frequency powers respectively when the second surface layer is formed and when the first surface layer is formed, and C/(Si+C) of the first surface layer and C/(Si+C) of the second surface layer can be 0.50 or more and 0.80 or less.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device capable of improving output characteristics is provided. This photovoltaic device comprises a crystalline semiconductor member, a substantially intrinsic first amorphous semiconductor layer formed on the front surface of the crystalline semiconductor member and a first conductivity type second amorphous semiconductor layer formed on the front surface of the first amorphous semiconductor layer, and has a hydrogen concentration peak in the first amorphous semiconductor layer. Thus, the quantity of hydrogen atoms in the first amorphous semiconductor layer is so increased that the hydrogen atoms increased in quantity can be bonded to dangling bonds of silicon atoms forming defects in the first amorphous semiconductor layer for inactivating the dangling bonds.

Abstract: A photoconductor containing an optional supporting substrate, a silanol containing photogenerating layer, at least one charge transport layer, and a top overcoating layer in contact with and contiguous to the charge transport layer.

Abstract: An arylamine compound represented by formula (1): wherein R1 to R4 each independently represents a linear alkyl group or an arylalkenyl group, provided that when all of R1 to R4 represent linear alkyl groups, at least one of R1 to R4 represents a linear alkyl group having a carbon number of 3 or more; and an electrophotographic photoreceptor.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member is disclosed having a first area layer and a second area layer on a substrate. The first area layer and the second area layer are formed by deposition using different methods, and an intermediate layer is provided therebetween. The intermediate layer is changed continuously in composition in such a manner that the composition at the surface in contact with the first area layer is approximately the same as the composition of the first area layer and that the composition at the surface in contact with the second area layer is approximately the same as the composition of the second area layer, whereby the various characteristics of the electrophotographic photosensitive member is prevented from deteriorating.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a support at least the surface of which is conductive, and a photoconductive layer formed thereon containing an amorphous material composed chiefly of silicon, the photoconductive layer has two or more layer regions, and protuberances in a layer region adjoining to a layer region that is closest to the free surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member have been stopped from growing at the surface of that layer region in which the protuberances occur. The protuberances has been stopped from growing not to become so large as to appear as image defects on images. Also disclosed is a process for producing such an electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member is provided minimizing the absorption of image exposure having a short wavelength in a surface layer and keeping good electrophotographic properties including resolving power. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive substrate, and a photoconductive layer and a surface region layer sequentially superimposed on the conductive substrate. The surface region layer is composed of a non-single-crystal silicon nitride film containing an Group element in the periodic table and a carbon atom and using at least a silicon atom and a nitrogen atom as base materials. In the surface region layer, the Group 13 element content with respect to the total amount of constituent atoms has distribution having at least two local maximum values in the thickness direction, and an the average concentration of nitrogen atoms is 30 atm % to 70 atm %.

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 solid-state imaging device according to the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate; a photoelectric conversion portion formed on the semiconductor substrate; a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate and covering the photoelectric conversion portion; a vertical transfer portion for transferring a charge generated at the photoelectric conversion portion in a vertical direction; and a multilayer transfer gate electrode for transferring the charge of the vertical transfer portion. At least one layer of the multilayer transfer gate electrode is made of at least two impurity doped amorphous silicon films of different impurity concentration.

Abstract: An electrographic or electrostatographic imaging member comprises a supporting substrate, an undercoating layer, a charge generating layer, and a charge transport layer. Thick undercoating layers were prepared with a charge erase enabler by doping an undercoating layer with a charge generating pigment that is strongly absorbing at typical erase lamp light. Doped thick undercoating layers demonstrate good electrical properties with an erase energy reduction of at least 50 V. A process for fabricating an imaging member and an apparatus comprising such an member are also disclosed.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a conductive substrate, and provided thereon a photoconductive layer containing at least an amorphous material composed chiefly of silicon atoms and, deposited on the photoconductive layer, a layer region containing an amorphous material composed chiefly of silicon atoms, which layer region contains at least partly a periodic-table Group 13 element, the content of the periodic-table Group 13 element based on the total amount of constituent atoms in the layer region deposited on the photoconductive layer has distribution having at least any two of maximum value(s) and maximum region(s) in the thickness direction of the layer region. This electrophotographic photosensitive member can be improved in charging performance, can prevent image defects due to pressure mars and can form high-quality images over a long period of time.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a conductive substrate, and provided thereon a photoconductive layer containing at least an amorphous material composed chiefly of silicon atoms and, deposited on the photoconductive layer, a layer region containing an amorphous material composed chiefly of silicon atoms, which layer region contains at least partly a periodic-table Group 13 element, the content of the periodic-table Group 13 element based on the total amount of constituent atoms in the layer region deposited on the photoconductive layer has distribution having at least any two of maximum value(s) and maximum region(s) in the thickness direction of the layer region. This electrophotographic photosensitive member can be improved in charging performance, can prevent image defects due to pressure mars and can form high-quality images over a long period of time.

Abstract: A negative-charging electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising an aluminum-based substrate and a silicate film and a light-receiving layer in this order. The silicate film has a layer thickness of 0.5 nm to 15 nm and comprises at least aluminum atoms, silicon atoms and oxygen atoms. The light-receiving layer has at least a lower-part charge injection blocking layer formed of a non-single crystal silicon film comprising at least silicon atoms, nitrogen atoms and oxygen atoms, not doped with any impurities, a photoconductive layer formed of a non-single crystal silicon film comprising at least silicon atoms, an upper-part charge injection blocking layer formed of a non-single crystal silicon film comprising at least silicon atoms, carbon atoms and atoms belonging to the Group 13 of the periodic table, and a surface protective layer formed of a non-single crystal silicon film comprising at least silicon atoms and containing carbon atoms.

Abstract: A process for producing an electrophotographic light-receiving member having a conductive support and a light-receiving member having a photoconductive layer formed on the surface of the conductive support and composed of a non-single crystal material containing silicon atoms as a main component, hydrogen atoms and/or halogen atoms. The photoconductive layer is formed at a flow rate (X) sccm of n Si supply gas and a discharge space volume (Z) cm3 satisfying (A) and a flow rate (X) sccm of the Si supply gas and density (Y) W/cm3 of the electric power input to the discharge space satisfying the following relation (B) wherein 3×10−3≦X/Z≦1×10−2  (A) and 3×10−4≦Y/X≦7×10−4  (B).

Abstract: A negative-charging electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising an aluminum-based substrate and a silicate film and a light-receiving layer in this order. The silicate film has a layer thickness of 0.5 nm to 15 nm and comprises at least aluminum atoms, silicon atoms and oxygen atoms. The light-receiving layer has at least a lower-part charge injection blocking layer formed of a non-single crystal silicon film comprising at least silicon atoms, nitrogen atoms and oxygen atoms, not doped with any impurities, a photoconductive layer formed of a non-single crystal silicon film comprising at least silicon atoms, an upper-part charge injection blocking layer formed of a non-single crystal silicon film comprising at least silicon atoms, carbon atoms and atoms belonging to the Group 13 of the periodic table, and a surface protective layer formed of a non-single crystal silicon film comprising at least silicon atoms and containing carbon atoms.

Abstract: An electrophotographic light-receiving member has a conductive support and a light-receiving member having a photoconductive layer formed on the surface of the conductive support and composed of a non-single crystal material containing silicon atoms as a main component, hydrogen atoms and/or halogen atoms. The non-single crystal material which constitutes the photoconductive layer has an optical band gap of 1.8 eV to 1.85 eV, and the characteristic energy of an exponential tail obtained from a light absorption spectrum of the non-single crystal material is 50 meV to 55 meV. The electrophotographic light-receiving member is simultaneously improved in its charge performance, environmental stability and exposure memory, and has excellent potential characteristics and image properties.

Abstract: An electrophotographic light-receiving member comprising a conductive support and provided thereon a photoconductive layer formed of a non-single-crystal material mainly composed of silicon atom and containing hydrogen atom and an element belonging to Group IIIb of the periodic table; wherein the photoconductive layer has hydrogen atom content, an optical band gap and a characteristic energy obtained from the exponential tail of light absorption spectra, all in specific ranges, and has on the surface side thereof a second layer region that absorbs a prescribed amount of light incident on the photoconductive layer and on the support side thereof the other first layer region; the element belonging to Group IIIb of the periodic table being contained in the second layer region in an amount made smaller than that in the first layer region.