IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus which provides a high image density with a small amount of attached toner without increasing coloring degree of the toner. SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus obtains an image by transferring a toner image to a recording material, fixing the toner to the recording material by a fixing unit after melting the toner which is transferred to the recording material in the fixing unit. In this apparatus, image formation is carried out under a condition of having a portion with a different refractive index from the toner dispersed in a toner layer which is fixed to the recording material. The volume of the portion with the different refractive index from the toner is preferably 4,000 μm3or less. The refractive index of the portion with the different refractive index from the toner is different by preferably 10% or more to the refractive index of the toner. The volume average particle diameter of the used toner is preferably 5 μm or less. It is also preferable that the portion with the different refractive index from the toner is a void. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT