Provided is an excellent phthalocyanine crystal having high sensitivity and little fluctuation in sensitivity for a humidity change in a use environment and applicable to the martial for solar battery, electronic paper, electrophotographic photoreceptor, etc. Namely, phthalocyanine crystal obtained by bringing a phthalocyanine crystal precursor into contact with an aromatic aldehyde compound to convert the crystal form. Also, provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor that not only exhibits high sensitivity but also has little fluctuation in sensitivity for a humidity change in a use environment. Further, provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor cartridge and an image-forming device, both of which can produce a stable quality images for a humidity change in a use environment by using the electrophotographic photoreceptor.

An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support and a photosensitive layer in this order. The photosensitive layer contains a chlorogallium phthalocyanine crystal. The chlorogallium phthalocyanine crystal has one or more peaks in each of a wavelength range of 646 nm or more and 668 nm or less and a wavelength range of 782 nm or more and 809 nm or less in an absorption spectrum. When a peak with a maximum absorbance among the peaks in the wavelength range of 646 nm or more and 668 nm or less is assumed to be a first peak and a peak with a maximum absorbance among the peaks in the wavelength range of 782 nm or more and 809 nm or less is assumed to be a second peak, an absorbance of the first peak is larger than an absorbance of the second peak.

An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a substrate and a photosensitive layer containing a phthalocyanine pigment. The crystalline particles of the phthalocyanine pigment have a crystallite correlation length r and a particle size R of 400 nm or less, and a parameter k defined by r/R is in the range of 0.17 to 0.42.

The present invention provides: an electrophotographic photosensitive member which reduces image defects due to ghosting not only under a normal temperature and normal humidity environment but also even under a low temperature and low humidity environment; and a novel phthalocyanine crystal. The electrophotographic photosensitive member of the present invention comprises a photosensitive layer which comprises a phthalocyanine crystal in which a N,N-dimethylformamide is contained. The content of the N,N-dimethylformamide is 0.1% by mass or more and 1.5% by mass or less based on the phthalocyanine crystal.

The problem addressed by the present invention is to provide a high heat-resistant phthalocyanine. The phthalocyanine is separated by mixing a phthalocyanine separation solvent and a phthalocyanine solution wherein a phthalocyanine starting material is dissolved in a solvent. The phthalocyanine is wherein having high heat resistance, the decomposition temperature of the separated phthalocyanine being at least 10 C. higher than the decomposition temperature of the phthalocyanine starting material. Also, the phthalocyanine solution may be the result of dissolving at least two types of phthalocyanine starting material in the solvent, the separated phthalocyanine being wherein containing a solid solvent of the at least two types of phthalocyanine starting material and by the decomposition temperature of the separated phthalocyanine being at least 10 C. higher than the decomposition temperature of a mixture of at least two types of phthalocyanine separated by mixing the phthalocyanine separation solvent and each of at least two types of phthalocyanine solution resulting from dissolving each of the at least two types of phthalocyanine starting material in a solvent.

A solution of a gallium phthalocyanine contains a compound of formula (1) and a gallium phthalocyanine of formula (2),
H.sub.2NCH.sub.2R.sup.1CH.sub.2NH.sub.2(1)
wherein R.sup.1 represents a single bond, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group having 1 to 10 main-chain carbon atoms, a substituent of the substituted alkylene group is an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms and being substituted with an amino group, or a hydroxy group, one of the carbon atoms in the main chain of the alkylene group may be replaced with an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, or a bivalent group represented by the formula NR.sup.2, and R.sup.2 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms and being substituted with an amino group, and ##STR00001##
wherein X.sup.1 represents a chlorine atom or hydroxy group.