Hard film and hard film-coated tool

1. A hard film formed by an arc-discharge ion-plating method, having a composition comprising metal components represented by Al x Cr 1-x , wherein x is an atomic ratio meeting 0.45≦x≦0.75, and non-metal components represented by N 1-α-β-γ B α C β O γ , wherein α, β and γ are respectively atomic ratios meeting 0≦α≦0.15, 0≦β≦0.35, and 0.01≦γ≦0.25; said hard film having the maximum X-ray diffraction intensity in a (200) face or a (111) face, and the binding energy of Al and/or Cr to oxygen in a range of 525–535 eV in an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

2. The hard film according to claim 1 , wherein its elastic recovery ratio E determined by a nano-indentation method is 28–42%.

3. The hard film according to claim 1 , wherein it has a surface smoothed by mechanical working.

4. The hard film according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of said non-metal components to said metal components is 1.1 or more.

5. A hard film formed by an arc-discharge ion-plating method, having a composition comprising metal components represented by Al x Cr l-x-y Si y , wherein x and y are respectively atomic ratios meeting 0.45≦x≦0.75, and 0<y≦0.35, and non-metal components represented by N 1-α-β-γ B α C β O γ , wherein α, β and γ are respectively atomic ratios meeting 0≦α≦0.15, 0≦β≦0.35, and γ≦0.25; said hard film having the binding energy of Al, Cr and/or Si to oxygen in a range of 525–535 eV in an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

6. The hard film according to claim 5 , wherein Si exists in the form of a nitride, an oxide and a metal, and wherein when the relative intensities of the Si metal and its nitride and oxide determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are represented by I(Si), I(Si—N) and I(Si—O), respectively, with I(Si)+I(Si—N)+I(Si—O)=100%, I(Si—N) is 52% or more.

7. The hard film according to claim 5 , wherein it has a crystal structure having the maximum X-ray diffraction intensity in a (200) face or a (111) face.

8. The hard film according to claim 5 , wherein its elastic recovery ratio E determined by a nano-indentation method is 28–42%.

9. The hard film according to claim 5 , wherein it has a surface smoothed by mechanical working.

10. The hard film according to claim 5 , wherein a ratio of said non-metal components to said metal components is 1.1 or more.

11. A hard film formed by an arc-discharge ion-plating method, having a composition comprising metal components represented by Al x Cr 1-x-y Si y , wherein x and y are respectively atomic ratios meeting 0.45≦x≦0.75, 0≦y≦0.35, and 0.5≦x+y<1, and non-metal components represented by N 1-α-β-γ B α C β O γ , wherein α, β and γ are respectively atomic ratios meeting 0≦α≦0.15, 0≦β≦0.35, and 0.003≦γ≦0.25; said hard film having an NaCl-type crystal structure in an X-ray diffraction, with a half width of 2θ at a diffraction peak corresponding to a (111) face or a (200) face being 0.5–2.0°; and said hard film containing oxygen more in grain boundaries than in crystal grains.

12. The hard film according to claim 11 , wherein said hard film has the binding energy of Al, Cr and/or Si to oxygen in a range of 525–535 eV in an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

13. The hard film according to claim 11 , wherein said hard film has the maximum oxygen concentration in a region of depth within 500 nm from the outermost surface.

14. The hard film according to claim 11 , wherein it meets 0.3<I(200)/I(111)<12, wherein I(111) and I(200) are the X-ray diffraction intensities of a (111) face and a (200) face, respectively.

15. The hard film according to claim 11 , wherein its elastic recovery ratio E determined by a nano-indentation method is 28–42%.

16. The hard film according to claim 11 , wherein it has a surface smoothed by mechanical working.

17. The hard film according to claim 11 , wherein a ratio of said non-metal components to said metal components is 1.1 or more.