A glow‐discharge hydrogenated amorphous silicon/insulator heterostructure has been characterized by a range of measurements including optical absorption, temperature dependence of photo‐ and dark conductivity, internal photoemission, xerographic discharge, and spectral dependence of photoconductivity. Efficient injection of dark and photocarriers from amorphous hydrogenated silicon into, and transport through, relatively thick SiOx:N:H has been achieved. Unlike the conventional thermal oxide on Si, no significant energy barrier to injection is found in the plasma‐deposited heterostructure. The use of the structure as a potential xerographic device is demonstrated. A mobility lifetime product as high as 6×10−10cm2/V and a transport process with an activation energy of ∼0.3 eV is found for electrons in the SiOx:N:H films.