Patent ID: 6846600

Claim:
A process for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising the steps of: as a first step, placing a cylindrical substrate having a conductive surface, in a deposition chamber having at least an evacuation means and a material gas feed means and capable of being made vacuum-airtight, and decomposing a material gas by means of high-frequency electric power to deposit on the cylindrical substrate a first layer, having a photoconductive layer formed of a non-single-crystal material composed basically of silicon atoms, and provided on the photoconductive layer, an intermediate layer formed of a non-single-crystal material composed basically of silicon atoms and containing at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon atoms, oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms; as a second step, exposing to atmospheric pressure the cylindrical substrate on which the first layer has been deposited; and as a third step, decomposing a material gas by means of high-frequency electric power in a deposition chamber having at least an evacuation means and a material gas feed means and capable of being made vacuum-airtight to further deposit a second layer formed of at least a non-single-crystal material on the cylindrical substrate to which the treatment of the second step has been applied.