Glow discharge method and apparatus and photoreceptor devices made therewith

Claim 2

A photoreceptor comprising an electrically conductive substrate coated with a body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon wherein said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon comprises a combination of electronic properties including a low optical sub band-gap absorption and high breakdown electrical stress in which said combination is substantially blocking to charge carriers present in the dark and is conducting to charge carriers generated under electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 3

A photoreceptor of the type described in claim wherein a layer comprising boron is interposed between at least a portion of said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon and said conductive substrate.

Claim 4

A photoreceptor of the type described in claim 1 wherein said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon is coated with an anti-reflection coating.

Claim 5

A photoreceptor of the type described in claim 1 wherein said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon is coated with a transparent silicon alloy.

Claim 6

A photoresponsive device comprising a body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon having a first and second surface portion, said first surface portion contacting semitransparent conductive contact and said second surface portion contacting a second conductive contact, wherein said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon comprises a combination of electronic properties including a low optical sub band-gap absorption and high breakdown electrical stress in which said combination is substantially blocking to charge carriers present in the dark and is conducting to charge carriers generated under electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 7

A photoresponsive device comprising a body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon having a first and second surface portion, said first surface portion contacting semitransparent conductive contact and said second surface portion contacting a second conductive contact, wherein said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon comprises a combination of electronic properties including a low optical sub band-gap absorption and high breakdown electrical stress in which said combination is substantially blocking to charge carriers present in the dark and is conducting to charge carriers generated under electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 8

A photoresponsive device of the type described in claim 5 wherein an n + doped-layer is interposed between a portion of said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon and one of said contacts to form a substantially ohmic contact between said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon and said one of said contacts.

Claim 9

A photoresponsive device of the type described in claim 5 wherein a layer comprising boron is interposed between a portion of said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon and one of said contacts.

Claim 10

A photoresponsive device of the type described in claim 5 wherein one of said contacts comprises an array of conductors.

Claim 11

A photoresponsive device of the type described in claim 5 wherein one of said contacts comprises a liquid crystal device.

Claim 12

A photoresponsive device of the type described in claim 5 wherein said electromagnetic radiation is generated by an light emitting diode.

Claim 13

A photoresponsive device of the type described in claim 5 wherein said electromagnetic radiation is generated by a pulsed laser.

Claim 14

Electrophotographic apparatus comprising in combination photoreceptor means having a photoreceptive surface, means for electrically charging said photoreceptive surface, means for selectively exposing said charged photoreceptive surface to electromagnetic radiation so that irradiated areas of said photoreceptive surface are selectively discharged, and means for developing an image on said photoreceptive surface corresponding to the selective exposure by electromagnetic radiation, wherein said photoreceptor means comprises an electrically conductive substrate means, a photoreceptor disposed upon the surface of an electrically conductive substrate, comprising: a body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon disposed upon the surface of said substrate, wherein said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon comprises a combination of electronic properties including a low optical sub band-gap absorption and high breakdown electrical stress in which said combination is substantially blocking to charge carriers present in the dark and is conducting to charge carriers generated under electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 15

Electrophotographic apparatus comprising in combination photoreceptor means having a photoreceptive surface, means for electrically charging said photoreceptive surface, means for selectively exposing said charged photoreceptive surface to electromagnetic radiation so that irradiated areas of said photoreceptive surface are selectively discharged, and means for developing an image on said photoreceptive surface corresponding to the selective exposure by electromagnetic radiation, wherein said photoreceptor means comprises an electrically conductive substrate means, a photoreceptor disposed upon the surface of an electrically conductive substrate, comprising: a body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon disposed upon the surface of said substrate, wherein said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon comprises a combination of electronic properties including a low optical sub band-gap absorption and high breakdown electrical stress in which said combination is substantially blocking to charge carriers present in the dark and is conducting to charge carriers generated under electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 16

Electrophotographic apparatus of the type described in claim 12 wherein a layer comprising boron is interposed between said layer comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon and said conductive substrate.

Claim 17

Electrophotographic apparatus comprising in combination a body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon having a first conductive contact applied to a first surface portion and a second conductive contact applied to a second surface portion, a power source in contact with said first contact of said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon and an array of conductors in contact with said second surface portion to transfer charge to substrate, a modulated source of electromagnetic radiation impinging on said body comprising a-Si:H through a semitransparent portion of at least one of said contacts wherein said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon comprises a combination of electronic properties including a low optical sub band-gap absorption and high breakdown electrical stress in which said combination is substantially blocking to charge carriers present in the dark and is conducting to charge carriers generated under electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 18

Electrophotographic apparatus comprising in combination a body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon having a first conductive contact applied to a first surface portion and a second conductive contact applied to a second surface portion, a power source in contact with said first contact of said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon and an array of conductors in contact with said second surface portion to transfer charge to substrate, a modulated source of electromagnetic radiation impinging on said body comprising a-Si:H through a semitransparent portion of at least one of said contacts wherein said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon comprises a combination of electronic properties including a low optical sub band-gap absorption and high breakdown electrical stress in which said combination is substantially blocking to charge carriers present in the dark and is conducting to charge carriers generated under electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 19

A liquid crystal light valve comprising in combination a body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon having a first and second surface portion and a body comprising a liquid crystal having a first and second surface portion wherein said first surface portion of said body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon is in electrical contact with said body comprising a liquid crystal, a source of modulated electromagnetic radiation impinging on said second surface portion of said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon through a semitransparent conductive contact, a second source of electromagnetic radiation impinging on said liquid crystal, filter means for reducing selected bands of said second source of radiation and a voltage source applied between said second conductive contact on said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon and said second surface of said body comprising a liquid crystal wherein said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon comprises a combination of electronic properties including a low optical sub band-gap absorption and high breakdown electrical stress in which said combination is substantially blocking to charge carriers present in the dark and is conducting to charge carriers generated under electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 20

A liquid crystal light valve comprising in combination a body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon having a first and second surface portion and a body comprising a liquid crystal having a first and second surface portion wherein said first surface portion of said body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon is in electrical contact with said body comprising a liquid crystal, a source of modulated electromagnetic radiation impinging on said second surface portion of said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon through a semitransparent conductive contact, a second source of electromagnetic radiation impinging on said liquid crystal, filter means for reducing selected bands of said second source of radiation and a voltage source applied between said second conductive contact on said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon and said second surface of said body comprising a liquid crystal wherein said body comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon comprises a combination of electronic properties including a low optical sub band-gap absorption and high breakdown electrical stress in which said combination is substantially blocking to charge carriers present in the dark and is conducting to charge carriers generated under electromagnetic radiation.

Claim 21

Apparatus for producing a film on the surfaces of a pair of substrates comprising an evacuable enclosure, means for evacuating said enclosure said pair of substrates separated from each other by a distance, means for introducing into the evacuated enclosure gas comprising silicon and hydrogen at subatmospheric pressure in the region of said pair of said substrates, counter electrode means positioned in the vicinity of said substrate surfaces for applying an electric field to said substrate surfaces within said enclosure, means for controlling the pressure to maintain the negative glow region of a glow discharge adjacent said substrate surfaces, the distance separating the said surfaces being sufficiently short that the negative glow regions of said surfaces interact with said counter electrode to reduce the pressure required to maintain the glow discharge.

Claim 22

Apparatus for producing a film on the surfaces of a pair of substrates comprising an evacuable enclosure, means for evacuating said enclosure said pair of substrates separated from each other by a distance, means for introducing into the evacuated enclosure gas comprising silicon and hydrogen at subatmospheric pressure in the region of said pair of said substrates, counter electrode means positioned in the vicinity of said substrate surfaces for applying an electric field to said substrate surfaces within said enclosure, means for controlling the pressure to maintain the negative glow region of a glow discharge adjacent said substrate surfaces, the distance separating the said surfaces being sufficiently short that the negative glow regions of said surfaces interact with said counter electrode to reduce the pressure required to maintain the glow discharge.

Claim 23

Apparatus of the type described in claim 16 wherein one of said substrates comprises a cylindrical substrate, and further comprising means for rotating said cylindrical substrate about its axis so as to provide a uniform coating on the surface of said cylindrical substrate.

Claim 24

Apparatus of the type described in claim 16 wherein one of said substrates is a planar member.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein heating means maintains the temperature of one of said substrates in a range to produce a high dark resistivity in said film.

Claim 28

The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of heating said pair of substrates to be coated.

Claim 31

A photoreceptor of the type described in claim 1 wherein said combination of electronic properties includes a fast relaxation time.

Claim 32

A photoresponsive device of the type described in claim 5 wherein said combination of electronic properties includes a fast relaxation time.

Claim 33

Electrophotographic apparatus of the type described in claim 12 wherein said combination of electronic properties includes a fast relaxation time.

Claim 34

Electrophotographic apparatus of the type described in claim 14 wherein said combination of electronic properites includes a fast relaxation time.

Claim 35

A liquid crystal light valve of the type described in claim 15 wherein said combination of electronic properties includes a fast relaxation time.