Contact-type imager for use as the front end of copier apparatus

A copier system including (1) an array of photosensitive elements adapted to photogenerate electrical signals representative of an image on an image-bearing surface and (2) replicating apparatus adapted to use the photogenerated electrical signals to reproduce the image;

• said system comprising in combination;
• an array of photosensitive elements fabricated from thin film semiconductor alloy material;
• each of said elements being non-light transmissive, non-apertured, continuous and capable of receiving light from a corresponding small area portion of an image-bearing surface and generating a detectable electrical signal representative of the amount of received light;
• said array including at least one column of photosensitive elements operatively disposed so as to cover at least a portion of at least one dimension of an image-bearing surface;
• spacing means including a protective cover layer underlying said array of photosensitive elements for closely positioning said array in juxtaposed relation relative to an image-bearing surface so as to proximity focus light onto said photosensitive elements from corresponding small area portions of said surface;
• said cover layer formed of a transparent abrasion resistant material selected from the group consisting essentially of a silicon-carbon alloy, a silicon-nitrogen alloy, a silicon-oxygen alloy, microcrystalline carbon, and combinations thereof;
• and
• replicating apparatus including means responsive to the electrical signals photogenerated by said array of photosensitive elements for providing a hard copy reproduction of the image on said image-bearing surface.