An electrophotographic photosensitive member production process is provided having
the steps of placing a cylindrical substrate having a conductive surface in a first
film-forming chamber, and decomposing a source gas with high-frequency power to
deposit on the cylindrical substrate a first layer formed of a non-single-crystal
material, taking out of the first film-forming chamber the cylindrical substrate
with the first layer deposited thereon, and placing the cylindrical substrate with
the first layer deposited thereon in a second film-forming chamber, and decomposing
a source gas with a high-frequency power to deposit on the first layer a second
layer having an upper-part blocking layer formed of a non-single-crystal material.
Even where abnormal growth portions called spherical protuberances are present
on the photosensitive member surface, they can be made not to appear on images,
and image defects can vastly be remedied.