Fujitsu Corporation

Shin Araki

Jun Kodama

Kunihiko Sato

Sachio Sasaki

Akira Nagahara

Hideki Kamaji

Hideaki Iwasaki

Makoto Kato

Kenji Fuke

Naoyuki Fujimoto

Kohei Kiyota

Futoshi Okabayashi

Takamasa Araki

Hiroshi No

The present invention relates to relates to a hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide used as the surface protecting layer of the photosensitive member for electrohotographic apparatus. In view of not allowing generation of blurring of photosensitive member under the high humidity atmosphere, the content (x) of carbon in the hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide expressed by the general formula a-Si.sub.1-x C.sub.x :H is in the range of 0.4.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.8 and a ratio (TO/TA) of the peak (TO) amplitude appearing in the vicinity of 480 cm.sup.-1 and the peak (TA) amplitude appearing in the vicinity of 150 cm.sup.-1 observed by the laser Raman spectroscopy measurement using the excitation laser of Ar.sup.+ 488 nm is set to 2.0 or higher.

Thin film formation apparatus

Developing device using two-component developer

The present invention relates to relates to a hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide used as the surface protecting layer of the photosensitive member for electrohotographic apparatus. In view of not allowing generation of blurring of photosensitive member under the high humidity atmosphere, the content (x) of carbon in the hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide expressed by the general formula a-Si.sub.1-x C.sub.x :H is in the range of 0.4.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.8 and a ratio (TO/TA) of the peak (TO) amlitude appearing in the vicinity of 480 cm.sup.-1 and the peak (TA) amplitude appearing in the vicinity of 150 cm.sup.-1 observed by the laser Raman spectroscopy measurement using the excitation laser of Ar.sup.+ 488 is set to 2.0 or higher.

A method for forming a dense, carrier blocking, thin protective film of a hydrogenated amorphous material containing an ingredient to reduce surface wetting on an a-Si:H photosensitive member. The method includes forming the protective film by generating a plasma of a starting gas suitable for forming the hydrogenated amorphous material within a deposition space where the photosensitive member is positioned under vapor deposition conditions. Hydrogen radicals are generated by decomposing hydrogen gas. The quantity of dangling bonds at the surface of the amorphous material film is reduced to thereby increase the density of the film by introducing a sufficient amount of the hydrogen radicals into the deposition space in the proximity of the photosensitive member to cover the surface of the amorphous material film as it forms.

Method for forming a thin protection film

A magnetic brush developing apparatus includes a development container containing a developer. A magnet is stationarily located in the development container and has magnetic poles radially provided on a plurality of points. A rotational sleeve is arranged to cover the outer circumference of the magnet and is rotatably driven to carry the developer in the development container. A blade is arranged opposite to the rotational sleeve to restrict the amount of the developer which is carried by the rotational sleeve. To obtain a uniform image quality without unevenness among different developing apparatus and a wider range of assembling precision to thus facilitate the installment of the apparatus, at a position facing the developer restriction member, and in its vicinity, there is formed a uniform magnetic flux density section having a magnetic flux density whose vertical component is substantially uniform on the periphery of the rotational sleeve.

Magnetic brush developing apparatus

A magnetic brush developing apparatus, comprising: a development container (102) for containing a developer; a magnet (122) stationarily located in the development container and having magnetic poles radially provided on a plurality of points; a rotational sleeve (121) arranged to cover the outer circumference of the magnet and rotatably driven to carry the developer in the development container to an image carrying body (131); and a blade (123) arranged opposite to the sleeve to restrict the amount of the developer which is carried by the sleeve. Two of the magnetic poles are a developing magnetic pole (Pd) facing opposite to the image carrying body (131) and a developer transfer magnetic pole (Pt) located between the developing magnetic pole (Pd) and the blade (123). A magnetic brush of the developer formed on the sleeve (121) by the developer carrying magnetic pole (Pt) has a magnetic flux density. A width or angle of a region where a radial component of the magnetic flux density exceeds over a half of a maximum value thereof, i.e., a half value width, is determined in such a manner that the developer is prevented from flying away from the magnetic brush.

A hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide material is used as the surface protecting layer for a photosensitive member of an electrophotographic apparatus. The carbon content (x) of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide material, expressed by the general formula a--Si.sub.1-x C.sub.x :H, ranges from 0.4 to 0.6, and the composition is such that the ratio of the peak TO amplitude appearing in the vicinity of 480 cm.sup.-1 to the peak TA amplitude appearing in the vicinity of 150 cm.sup.-1, both as observed by laser Raman spectroscope measurement using an excitation laser of Ar.sup.+ 488nm, is 2.0 or higher. Such material does not exhibit blurring of the image even when exposed to high humidity conditions.

An apparatus for forming thin films on substrates includes a reactor vessel, and discharge and grounded electrodes opposably disposed within the reactor vessel. The discharge electrode has walls surrounding a hollow space having an outlet that is open to the grounded electrode. A starting gas is introduced into the reactor vessel through that hollow space. A radio frequency voltage is applied between the discharge and grounded electrodes to produce a discharge plasma zone therebetween. The potential of the discharge electrode is biased toward the negative side so that the discharge electrode behaves as a cathode to which a direct current voltage is applied, whereby a high density plasma is obtained in the hollow space of the discharge electrode.

An electrophotographic multi-layered photosensitive member having a top layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide and the method for forming the top layer are provided. The hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide has an atomic ratio of carbon to carbon plus silicon C/(Si+C) ranging from 0.17 to 0.47 and a ratio of the number of hydrogen atoms bonded to a silicon atom per silicon atom, to number of hydrogen atoms bonded to a carbon atom per carbon atom, {(Si--H)/Si}/{(C--H)/C}, ranging from 0.3 to 1.0. The top layer is formed on a photosensitive member of hydrogenated amorphous silicon by employing a glow discharge CVD method. The gaseous mixture composed of disilane (Si.sub.2 H.sub.6) and propane (C.sub.3 H.sub.8) mixed with a mol ratio expressed as C.sub.3 H.sub.8 /(Si.sub.2 H.sub.6 +C.sub.3 H.sub.8) ranging from 0.2 to 0.6 is used. Another gaseous mixture is also used with an improved result. The mixture comprises disilane (Si.sub.2 H.sub.6) gas, propane (C.sub.3 H.sub.8) gas, and hydrogen (H.sub.2) gas, the mixing mol ratio of the propane gas to the disilane gas expressed as C.sub.3 H.sub.8 /(Si.sub.2 H.sub.6 +C.sub.3 H.sub.8) ranging from 02 to 0.7, and the mixing mol ratio of the hydrogen gas to the remaining gas, H.sub.2 /(Si.sub.2 H.sub.6 +C.sub.3 H.sub.8), ranging from 1 to 10.

Growing community of inventors

Yokohama, Japan

Shin Araki