Photoconductive member having amorphous germanium and amorphous silicon regions with nitrogen

A photoconductive member comprising a substrate for photoconductive member and a light receiving layer comprising a first layer with a layer constitution in which a first layer region (G) comprising an amorphous material containing germanium atoms and at least one of hydrogen and halogen atoms present in amounts from 0.01 to 40 atomic percent and a second layer region (S) exhibiting photoconductivity comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and at least one of hydrogen and halogen atoms present in amounts from 0.01 to 40 atomic percent are successively provided from the substrate side and a second layer comprising an amorphous material containing at least one of nitrogen atoms and oxygen atoms in a matrix of silicon atoms, carbon atoms being present in at least said first layer region (G) and wherein the content of germanium atoms in said first layer region (G) is 1 to 10.times.10.sup.5 atomic ppm based on the total of germanium and silicon.

An electrophotographic process which comprises:

• (a) applying a charging treatment to a photoconductive member comprising substrate for photoconductive member and a light receiving layer having a layer constitution in which a first layer region (G) comprising an amorphous material containing germanium atoms and at least one of hydrogen and halogen atoms present in amounts from 0.01 to 40 atomic percent and a second layer region (S) exhibiting photoconductivity comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and at least one of hydrogen and halogen atoms present in amounts from 0.01 to 40 atomic percent are successively provided from the substrate side, carbon atoms being present in at least said first layer region (G) and wherein the content of germanium atoms in said first layer gegion (G) is 1 to 10.times.10.sup.5 atomic ppm based on the total of germanium and silicon;
• and
• (b) irradiating said photoconductive member with an electromagnetic wave carrying information thereby forming an electrostatic image.

An electrophotographic process which comprises:

• (a) applying a charging treatment to photoconductive member and a light receiving layer comprising a first layer with a layer constitution in which a first layer region (G) comprising an amorphous material containing germanium atoms and at least one of hydrogen and halogen atoms present in amounts from 0.01 to 40 atomic percent and a second layer region (S) exhibiting photoconductivity comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and at least one of hydrogen and halogen atoms present in amounts from 0.01 to 40 atomic percent are successively provided from the substrate side and a second layer comprising an amorphous material containing at least one of nitrogen atoms and oxygen atoms in a matrix of silicon atoms, carbon atoms being present in at least said first layer region (G) and wherein the content of germanium atoms in said first layer region (G) is 1 to 10.times.10.sup.5 atomic ppm based on the total of germanium and silicon;
• and
• (b) irradiating said photoconductive member with an electromagnetic wave carrying information thereby forming an electrostatic image.