Physical vapor deposition method

PURPOSE:To form a uniform hard film with high adhesion by cleaning the surface of a tool, each of parts or the like by sputtering with H2 or a gaseous mixture of H2 with an inert gas and by physically vapor-depositing a solid soln. of a hard compound on the cleaned surface. CONSTITUTION:The surface of a cutting tool, each of wear resistant parts or a decoration is cleaned by sputtering with H2 or an atmospheric gas contg. >=20, especially >=50vol% H2. A solid soln. of a C, N or O compound of a IVa, Va or VIa group metal in the periodic table and/or >=1 kind of compound such as Al2O3 is physically vapor-deposited on the cleaned surface to form a single or multiple layer. The optimum physical vapor deposition method is an ion plating method. When the substrate is a gear cutting tool or a forming tool made of high speed steel and having a complex shape, the effect is shown especially, and the resistances to wear, melt sticking, corrosion, etc. are enhanced.