Electrophotographic photoreceptor and electrophotographic process therefor

An electrophotographic process comprising the steps of:

• electrifying the surface of an electrophotographic photoreceptor;
• exposing said surface to form a latent electrostatic image thereon;
• developing said latent image with a toner;
• transferring said toner image onto a sheet;
• removing toner particles remaining on the surface of photoreceptor after transfer and discharging electric charges that are left on the surface;
• and
• fixing the transferred toner image on the sheet;
• wherein said photoreceptor comprises an electroconductive support at least whose indentation hardness of surface is 100 and over on the Vickers hardness scale;
• a photoconductive layer comprising amorphous silicon containing at least one of hydrogen and halogen;
• and
• a surface layer comprising at least one of an amorphous silicon layer containing at least one of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon, and an amorphous carbon layer containing at least not exceeding 50 atm. % of hydrogen and halogen.

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

• a photoreceptor drum whose surface includes a photoconductive layer comprising amorphous silicon;
• charging means for electrifying said surface;
• means for exposing the surface so that a latent electrostatic image is formed thereon;
• developing means for developing the latent electrostatic with a toner;
• transferring means for transferring the formed toner image onto a sheet member;
• and
• fixing means for fixing the transferred image on the sheet member;
• wherein said photoreceptor comprises an electroconductive support at least whose indentation hardness of surface is 100 and over on the Vickers hardness scale;
• a photoconductive layer comprising amorphous silicon containing at least one of hydrogen and halogen;
• and
• a surface layer comprising at least one of an amorphous silicon layer containing at least one of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon, and an amorphous carbon layer containing at least not exceeding 50 atm. % of hydrogen and halogen.