The present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member which has a substrate, a photoconductive layer and a surface layer formed from hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide in this order. The average value of the carbon content (C/(C+Si)) of the surface layer formed from the hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide is set at 0.90 or more and less than 1.00, and the average value of the hydrogen content (H/(H+C+Si)) is set at 0.40 or less; and when the average value of the ratios of the sum of a SiO bond and an OSiO bond in the outermost surface region that constitutes a range within a depth of 5 nm or less from the outermost surface of the surface layer is represented by a, and an average value of the silicon content (Si/(C+Si)) is represented by b, 0.015a*b0.090 holds.

This electrophotographic photosensitive body (20) comprises a supporting body (20a) and a photosensitive layer (20b) that is formed on the surface of the supporting body (20a). The surface of the photosensitive layer (20b) has an arithmetic mean roughness Ra within the range of from 20 nm to 100 nm (inclusive), a ten-point average roughness Rz within the range of from 0.2 m to 1.0 m (inclusive) and a mean spacing of profile irregularities Sm of 20 m or less in the initial stage of use.

This electrophotographic photosensitive body (20) comprises a supporting body (20a) and a photosensitive layer (20b) that is formed on the surface of the supporting body (20a). The surface of the photosensitive layer (20b) has an arithmetic mean roughness Ra within the range of from 20 nm to 100 nm (inclusive), a ten-point average roughness Rz within the range of from 0.2 m to 1.0 m (inclusive) and a mean spacing of profile irregularities Sm of 20 m or less in the initial stage of use.

There are provided a method of manufacturing an electrophotographic photoreceptor which achieves excellent enduring characteristics and reduction in occurrence of image defects, a method of manufacturing an image forming apparatus, and an electrophotographic photoreceptor manufacturing apparatus. A method of manufacturing an electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a step of roughening an outer surface of a cylindrical base body so that a surface roughness of the outer surface of the cylindrical base body satisfies Str0.70, in which Str denotes texture aspect ratio; a step of forming a charge injection blocking layer on the outer surface of the cylindrical base body; a step of forming a photoconductive layer on the charge injection blocking layer; and a step of forming a surface layer on the photoconductive layer.

A surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member has a change region in which a ratio of the number of carbon atoms with respect to the sum of the number of silicon atoms and the number of carbon atoms gradually increases toward a surface side of the electrophotographic photosensitive member from a photoconductive layer side, wherein the change region has an upper charge injection prohibiting portion containing a Group 13 atom, and a surface-side portion which is positioned closer to the surface side of the electrophotographic photosensitive member than the upper charge injection prohibiting portion and does not contain the Group 13 atom, and the distribution of the Group 13 atom in a boundary portion between the surface-side portion and the upper charge injection prohibiting portion is precipitous.

An image forming apparatus includes a two-component developer, a photosensitive member, a charging device, a development device and an intermediate transfer belt. The intermediate transfer belt contains a base resin and a conductive agent. The base resin includes a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin. The photosensitive member includes a base member and an amorphous silicon photosensitive layer. The arithmetic average roughness Ra of the surface of the photosensitive member is equal to or greater than 37 nm but equal to or less than 105 nm. The toner particle includes a toner base particle and a toner external additive that is adhered to the surface of the toner base particle. The toner external additive includes a spacer particle. The number average primary particle diameter of the spacer particle is greater than the arithmetic average roughness Ra of the surface of the photosensitive member.