ELECTROSTATIC LATENT IMAGE EVALUATION METHOD, ELECTROSTATIC LATENT IMAGE EVALUATION APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrostatic latent image evaluation method of measuring an electrostatic latent image which is formed with a charge distribution generated on a surface of a dielectric body in the same condition as an electrophotographic process.SOLUTION: An electrostatic latent image evaluation method includes: exposing a sample surface of a photoreceptor sample; forming an electrostatic latent image pattern on the sample surface; and evaluating the electrostatic latent image pattern on the sample surface on the basis of a detection signal to be obtained by scanning the sample surface with an electron beam. The sample surface is irradiated with a light spot to measure input latent image area formed of a charge generating region to be generated in the charge generating layer of the photoreceptor sample, and output latent image area formed of a region of the electrostatic latent image formed with the charge distribution generated by an optical image. An input/output latent image ratio is measured, which is a ratio of the output latent image area with respect to the input latent image area. On the basis of the input/output latent image ratio, the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor sample is evaluated.