Abstract: A hard coating includes a three kinds of layers that are alternately laminated. The three kinds of layers consist of a single composition layer and two kinds of nanolayer-alternated layers. The single composition layer is constituted by one of an A composition (nitride of AlCr?), a B composition (nitride of AlTiCr?) and a C composition (nitride of AlCr(SiC)?). The two kinds of nanolayer-alternated layers include nanolayers which are alternately laminated and which are constituted by two of three combinations consisting of a combination of the A composition and B composition, a combination of the A composition and C composition and a combination of the B composition and C composition. The single composition layer has a thickness of 0.5-1000 nm. Each of the nanolayers constituting the two kinds of nanolayer-alternated layers has a thickness of 0.5-500 nm, and each of the two kinds of nanolayer-alternated layers has a thickness of 1-1000 nm.

Abstract: To provide a tool that ensures improved durability even when a diamond coating containing boron is formed. A diamond coating (40) includes a first layer (41) that is formed as a layer on a surface layer side of the diamond coating (40) and is regarded as containing no boron, and a second layer (42) positioned on a side of a base material (30) with respect to the first layer (41) and contains at least 1000 ppm or more of the boron. Since the first layer (41) with a larger compressive stress is formed on the surface layer of the diamond coating (40), a crack generation from the surface layer side of the diamond coating (40) during the process can be reduced. Consequently, the durability of a tool (1) can be improved even when the diamond coating (40) containing 1,000 ppm or more of boron is formed.

Abstract: A hard coating includes a three kinds of layers that are alternately laminated. The three kinds of layers consist of a single composition layer and two kinds of nanolayer-alternated layers. The single composition layer is constituted by one of an A composition (nitride of AlCr?), a B composition (nitride of AlTiCr?) and a C composition (nitride of AlCr(SiC)?). The two kinds of nanolayer-alternated layers include nanolayers which are alternately laminated and which are constituted by two of three combinations consisting of a combination of the A composition and B composition, a combination of the A composition and C composition and a combination of the B composition and C composition. The single composition layer has a thickness of 0.5-1000 nm. Each of the nanolayers constituting the two kinds of nanolayer-alternated layers has a thickness of 0.5-500 nm, and each of the two kinds of nanolayer-alternated layers has a thickness of 1-1000 nm.

Abstract: To provide a tool that ensures improved durability even when a diamond coating containing boron is formed. A diamond coating (40) includes a first layer (41) that is formed as a layer on a surface layer side of the diamond coating (40) and is regarded as containing no boron, and a second layer (42) positioned on a side of a base material (30) with respect to the first layer (41) and contains at least 1000 ppm or more of the boron. Since the first layer (41) with a larger compressive stress is formed on the surface layer of the diamond coating (40), a crack generation from the surface layer side of the diamond coating (40) during the process can be reduced. Consequently, the durability of a tool (1) can be improved even when the diamond coating (40) containing 1,000 ppm or more of boron is formed.

Abstract: A hard multilayer coating including: (a) a backing layer which is to be disposed on a body and which includes a TiAlN layer and a TiAlN+CrN mixture layer that are alternately superposed on each other; and (b) a CrN layer which is disposed on the backing layer and which provides an outer surface of the hard multilayer coating. The hard multilayer coating may further includes (c) an intermediate layer which is interposed between the backing layer and the CrN layer. Also disclosed is a hard multilayer coated tool including a tool substrate as the body which is coated with the hard multilayer coating.

Abstract: A hard coating film is efficiently etched by a krypton ion beam of comparatively large mass, and then it is slowly etched by an argon ion beam of small mass. As a result, a coating film removing operation can be performed in a short time with suppressing an influence of the coating film removal on a tool base material (changes in shape and dimension) to the minimum. Since both krypton and argon are an inert gas, even upon the surface of the tool base material being exposed, the surface weakness by chemical erosion can be completely prevented. As a result, even when a hard coating film coated working tool is reproduced by re-coating the tool base material with the hard coating film, the hard coating film is coated by excellent adhesion strength.

Abstract: A hard coating that is to be disposed on a surface of a body includes a diamond layer which includes a plurality of diamond grains and is doped with boron, and an outer layer which includes an intermetallic compound and is disposed on the diamond layer by a physical vapor deposition method.

Abstract: A hard multilayer coating including: (a) a backing layer which is to be disposed on a body and which includes a TiAIN layer and a TiAlN+CrN mixture layer that are alternately superposed on each other; and (b) a CrN layer which is disposed on the backing layer and which provides an outer surface of the hard multilayer coating. The hard multilayer coating may further includes (c) an intermediate layer which is interposed between the backing layer and the CrN layer. Also disclosed is a hard multilayer coated tool including a tool substrate as the body which is coated with the hard multilayer coating.

Abstract: A boron-doped diamond coating that is to be disposed on a surface of a body includes a plurality of diamond microcrystal whose crystal grain diameter is substantially not larger than 2 ?m, wherein the diamond microcrystal is doped with boron.

Abstract: A hard coating that is to be disposed on a surface of a body includes a diamond layer which includes a plurality of diamond grains and is doped with boron, and an outer layer which includes an intermetallic compound and is disposed on the diamond layer by a physical vapor deposition method.

Abstract: A diamond-coated body including: a substrate formed of a cemented carbide; a diamond coating; and an interface layer interposed between the substrate and the diamond coating, wherein the interface layer consists of a solid solution including an aluminum nitride and a metal which belongs to one of groups IVa, Va and VIa of the periodic table. The interface layer is preferably provided by one of TiAlN, CrAlN and VAlN. The substrate is preferably formed of a super-fine particle cemented carbide.

Abstract: A method of removing a diamond coating from a substrate of a diamond-coated body which includes the substrate coated with the diamond coating. The method includes a step of heating the diamond-coated body at a predetermined temperature in a reactor at a predetermined reduced pressure, while introducing an oxygen gas into the reactor at a predetermined flow rate, for burning the diamond coating to thereby remove the diamond coating from the substrate.

Abstract: A diamond-coated tool including: (a) a substrate; and (b) a diamond coating disposed on the substrate. The diamond coating is formed of diamond crystals grown on the substrate. Each of the diamond crystals has a diameter not larger than 2 &mgr;m as measured on an outer surface of the diamond coating, and/or a length not larger than 2 &mgr;m as measured in a direction in which each of the grown diamond crystals has expanded by its growth. The diamond coating preferably consists of a plurality of layers.

Abstract: A diamond-coated body including: a substrate formed of a cemented carbide; a diamond coating; and an interface layer interposed between the substrate and the diamond coating, wherein the interface layer consists of a solid solution including an aluminum nitride and a metal which belongs to one of groups IVa, Va and VIa of the periodic table. The interface layer is preferably provided by one of TiAlN, CrAlN and VAlN. The substrate is preferably formed of a super-fine particle cemented carbide.

Abstract: A diamond-coated tool including: (a) a substrate; and (b) a diamond coating disposed on the substrate. The diamond coating is formed of diamond crystals grown on the substrate. Each of the diamond crystals has a diameter not larger than 2 &mgr;m as measured on an outer surface of the diamond coating, and/or a length not larger than 2 &mgr;m as measured in a direction in which each of the grown diamond crystals has expanded by its growth. The diamond coating preferably consists of a plurality of layers.

Abstract: A method of removing a diamond coating from a substrate of a diamond-coated body which includes the substrate coated with the diamond coating. The method includes a step of heating the diamond-coated body at a predetermined temperature in a reactor at a predetermined reduced pressure, while introducing an oxygen gas into the reactor at a predetermined flow rate, for burning the diamond coating to thereby remove the diamond coating from the substrate.

Abstract: A card holder provides a balance reader for an IC card utilized for a system for settling cash utilizing the IC card. The balance reader is provided with the card holder-type body having a card slot provided in the body. A liquid-crystal display and at least one push-button are arranged on the body for user interface. A cover member is attached to the body via a hinge so that it can be opened or closed. When an IC card is inserted into the body and the push-button is pressed, the liquid-crystal display is lit and the current balance of currency is displayed on the liquid-crystal display. When the cover member is opened and the IC card is extracted, the display of the balance is switched to a blinking display. When a settlement is performed using the IC card, a microcomputer in the body can operate to display the balance after the settlement as well as a paid or received amount, in addition to the previous balance before the settlement.

Abstract: An adaptive transform encoder can keep a recording rate of a digital signal at a constant level.