Electrophotographic member

Abstract

Disclosed is an electrophotographic member having at least a supporter and a photoconductor layer formed mainly of amorphous silicon, characterized in that the amorphous silicon contains at least 50 atomic-% of silicon and at least 1 atomic-% of hydrogen as an average within the layer, and that a part which is at least 10 nm thick from a surface or/and interface of the photoconductor layer toward the interior of the photoconductor layer has a hydrogen content in a range of at least 1 atomic-% to at most 40 atomic-% and an optical forbidden band gap in a range of at least 1.3 eV to at most 2.5 eV and also has the property that an intensity of at least one of peaks having centers at wave numbers of approximately 2,200 cm.sup.-1, approximately 1,140 cm.sup.-1, approximately 1,040 cm.sup.-1, approximately 650 cm.sup.-1, approximately 860 cm.sup.-1 and approximately 800 cm.sup.-1 in an infrared absorption spectrum as are attributed to a bond between silicon and oxygen does not exceed 20% of a higher one of intensities of peaks having centers at wave numbers of approximately 2,000 cm.sup.-1 and approximately 2,100 cm.sup.-1 as are attributed to a bond between silicon and hydrogen. Dark decay characteristics are good, and a satisfactory surface potential can be secured. In addition, the characteristics are stable versus time.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.