| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suitably control gradation and to form a sharp multivalued latent image having high resolution, by selectively applying voltage of different voltage values to an image carrier provided with a ferroelectric layer, causing polarizations of different intensities in the ferromagnetic layer, thereby forming a multivalued, polarized latent image. SOLUTION: By means of a heater 2 the entire ferroelectric layer 1b of an image carrier 1 is heated to a temperature that is lower than a Curie point, and polarization is removed. Then, a voltage is applied to the image carrier 1 by the conductive roller 3b of a voltage application device 3. Consequently, the ferroelectric layer 1b is polarized in one direction by the specific electric fluid. Further, according to an image to be formed, a voltage is applied to each area of the image carrier 1 from the electrode of a latent-image writing device 4. By applying the voltage of different values to the once uniformly polarized image carrier 1 by the latent-image writing device 4 in such a manner, different remanent polarizations of different intensities occur in the ferromagnetic layer 1b, so that a multivalued, polarized latent image is formed. |
