Protective coating, a coated member having a protective coating as well as method for producing a protective coating

1. A protective coating, having the chemical composition C a Si b B d N e O g H l Me m , wherein Me is at least one metal of the group consisting of {Al, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, W, Y, Sc, La, Ce, Nd, Pm, Sm, Pr, Mg, Co, Ni, Fe, Mn}, with a+b+d+e+g+l+m=1,

and

0.45≦a≦0.98

0.01≦b≦0.40

0.02≦d≦0.10

0≦e≦0.35

0≦g≦0.20

1≦l≦0.35

0≦m≦0.20, and

wherein the coating contains amorphous carbon which is not chemically bonded to Si or B at a content that satisfies 3.2≦Ix/Iy≦8.0, wherein Ix represents the peak of intensity of amorphous carbon in Raman spectrum, and Iy represents the maximum intensity in the background in Raman spectrum.

2. A protective coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein, apart from impurities, e=0 and g=0 and l=0 and m=0.

3. A protective coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein 0.56≦a≦0.81.

4. A protective coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein 0.12≦b≦0.26.

5. A protective coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein 0.03≦e≦0.08.

6. A protective coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein 0.01≦g≦0.06.

7. A protective coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein 0.03≦l≦0.10.

8. A protective coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein 0.05≦m≦0.10.

9. A protective coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a free carbon C—C bonding is present in the hard coating.

10. A protective coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a C—H bonding is present in the hard coating.

11. A protective coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the hard coating has a hardness of at least 1000 Hv to 4000 Hv.

12. A protective coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the hard coating has a hardness of at least 1500 to 3500 Hv.

13. A protective coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a residual stress of the hard coating is between −0.5 to −3.5 GPa.

14. A protective coating in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the coating includes at least 2 single layers with the elements C a Si b B d N e O g H l Me m alternating with at least one single layer of traditional hard coatings.

15. A coated member having a protective coating in accordance with claim 1 .

16. A coated member, wherein a multilayer film is provided on a surface of the member, the multilayer film comprising at least a hard film (A) and a hard film (B) of different composition, wherein the hard film (A) is the low friction carbon containing hard coating in accordance with claim 1 being provided as the outermost layer of the multilayer film of the coated member.

17. A coated member in accordance with claim 16 , wherein an additional layer is provided, the composition of which is represented by Si b B d CaNeOg that satisfies a+b+d+e+g=1, 0.10≦b≦0.35, 0.01≦d≦0.25, 0.45≦a≦0.85, 0.03≦e≦0.30, and 0<g≦0.20, and the hard film B of an underlying layer below the hard film A comprises at least two metal ingredients selected from Al, Ti, Cr, Nb, W, Si, V, Zr and Mo, Mg, Co, Ni, Ce, Y, La, Sc, Pr, and at least one non-metallic ingredient selected from N, B, C, 0 and S.

18. A coated member in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the coated member is a cutting tool, a mold, a forming tool, an engine parts, a component of an internal combustion engine, or a component of a gas turbine.

19. A method for producing a protective coating in accordance to claim 1 , comprising depositing the protective coating on a substrate.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate comprises depositing with a PVD-method.

21. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate comprises depositing with a RF magnetron sputtering method.

22. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate comprises depositing with a DC sputtering or a pulsed DC sputtering method.

23. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate comprises depositing with a High Power Pulsed Magnetron Sputtering method.

24. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate comprises depositing using a composite target with a RF sputtering method.

25. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate includes using a carbon comprising target with inserts made of SiC, B 4 C.

26. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate includes using a reactive gas comprising nitrogen.

27. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate includes using a reactive gas comprising a carbon containing gas.

28. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate includes using a reactive gas comprising a carbon containing gas and nitrogen.

29. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate comprises depositing with an arc evaporation method.

30. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate includes using a carbon cathode alloyed with Si and boron.

31. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate includes using a reactive gas.

32. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate comprises depositing with a CVD method.

33. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the depositing the protective coating on a substrate comprises depositing with a PE-CVD method using a precursor comprising at least carbon, silicon and boron.

34. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the composite target comprises SiC/BN mixtures.