A hard film for coating a surface of a base material, the hard film includes a layer A, a layer B, and a nanolayer-alternating layer. The layer A is an AlTiCr nitride of (Al.sub.aTi.sub.bCr.sub.c?.sub.d)N, where ? is one or more elements selected from C, B, Si, V, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, and W. The layer B is an AlTiCr nitride or AlTiCr carbonitride of (Al.sub.eTi.sub.fCr.sub.g?.sub.h)C.sub.xN.sub.1-X, where ? is one or more elements selected from B, Si, V, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, and W. The nanolayer-alternating layer is formed by alternately laminating a nanolayer A or a nanolayer B having the same composition as the layer A or B. And, the layer C is an AlCr(SiC) nitride or AlCr(SiC) carbonitride of [Al.sub.iCr.sub.j(SiC).sub.k?.sub.1]C.sub.YN.sub.1-Y, where ? is one or more elements selected from B, Ti, V, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, and W.

A multilayer mirror for reflecting Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) radiation and a method for producing the same are disclosed. In an embodiment a multilayer mirror includes a layer sequence having a plurality of alternating first layers and second layers, the first layers including lanthanum or a lanthanum compound and the second layers including boron, wherein the second layers are doped with carbon, and wherein a molar fraction of carbon in the second layers is 10% or less.

An device, method and program may properly perform gamut conversion of content and be applied to a gamut conversion device. A restoration conversion state confirming unit performs confirmation such as gamut conversion state of image data read out from an optical disc and the existence or not of restoration metadata. An information exchange unit communicates with an output device via a communication unit and performs information exchange such as the existence or not of restoration processing functionality and gamut conversion functionality and the like. A determining unit determines whether or not restoration processing is performed with a playing device based on information obtained by the restoration conversion state confirming unit and the information exchange unit. Similarly, the determining unit determines whether or not to perform gamut conversion processing with the playing device based on information obtained by the restoration conversion state confirming unit and the information exchange unit.

A composite article includes a substrate, at least one protective layer on the substrate, and an intermediate layer between the protective layer and the substrate. The intermediate layer includes a first material that occupies a first continuous region and a second material that occupies a second continuous region next to the first continuous region. The first continuous region and the second continuous region are each in contact with the substrate and the protective layer.

A laminated hard coating comprising a layer A and a layer B, wherein the layer A and the layer B differ in composition and are laminated. Layer A contains (M.sub.aAl.sub.bCr.sub.cTa.sub.d)(B.sub.xC.sub.yN.sub.z) and satisfies 0a0.35, 0.05d0.35, 0x0.15, 0y0.50, a+b+c+d=1, and x+y+z=1. M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of V, Nb, Mo, and W; a, b, c and d represent the atomic ratios of M, Al, Cr, and Ta, respectively; and x, y, and z represent the atomic ratios of B, C and N, respectively. The layer B comprises (Ti.sub.Si.sub.)(B.sub.xC.sub.yN.sub.z) and satisfies 0.050.35, 0x0.15, 0y0.50, +=1, and x+y+z=1. and represent the atomic ratios of Ti and Si, respectively, and x, y, and z represent the atomic ratios of B, C, and N, respectively. One or more layers of each of these layers have been alternately laminated.

A surface-coated cutting tool includes a substrate and a coating film. The coating film includes an alternate layer. The alternate layer includes a first layer having a first composition and a second layer having a second composition. The alternate layer is formed by alternately stacking at least one first layer and at least one second layer. The first layer and the second layer each have a thickness not smaller than 2 nm and not greater than 100 nm. The first composition is expressed as Ti.sub.aAl.sub.bSi.sub.cN (0.25a0.45, 0.55b0.75, 0c0.1, a+b+c=1). The second composition is expressed as Ti.sub.dAl.sub.eSi.sub.fN (0.35d0.55, 0.45e0.65, 0f0.1, d+e+f=1). The first composition and the second composition satisfy a condition of 0.05da0.2 and 0.05be0.2.

A cutting tool is a cutting tool comprising a substrate and a coating film disposed on the substrate, in which the coating film includes a first layer, the first layer is composed of an alternate layer where a first unit layer and a second unit layer are alternately stacked, the first unit layer is composed of Ti.sub.1-a-bAl.sub.aCe.sub.bN, a is between greater than or equal to 0.350 and equal to or less than 0.650, b is between greater than or equal to 0.001 and equal to or less than 0.100, the second unit layer is composed of Ti.sub.cSi.sub.1-cN, and c is between greater than or equal to 0.20 and equal to or less than 0.99.

A cutting tool is a cutting tool comprising a substrate and a coating film disposed on the substrate, in which the coating film includes a first layer, the first layer is composed of an alternate layer where a first unit layer and a second unit layer are alternately stacked, the first unit layer is composed of Al.sub.aCr.sub.l-a-bCe.sub.bN, a is 0.400 or more and 0.800 of less, b is 0.100 or less, the second unit layer is composed of Ti.sub.cSi.sub.l-cN, and c is 0.200 or more and 0.990 or less.

A cutting tool is a cutting tool comprising a substrate and a coating film disposed on the substrate, in which the coating film includes a first layer, the first layer is composed of an alternate layer where a first unit layer and a second unit layer are alternately stacked, the first unit layer is composed of Al.sub.aCr.sub.1-a-bCe.sub.bN, a is more than 0.500 and 0.800 or less, b is 0.001 or more and 0.100 or less, the second unit layer is composed of Al.sub.cV.sub.1-cN, c is 0.30 or more and 0.75 or less, and a and c satisfy a relationship of a>c.

A transparent high-barrier film having flexibility and a high-barrier property is usable as a packaging material for pharmaceutical products, or as a flexible sealing material. The high-barrier film includes a plastic film and at least a barrier layer stacked thereon. The barrier layer is a layer in which two or more units are stacked, each unit having a structure in which a barrier layer A, a barrier layer B, and a barrier layer A are stacked in that order. The barrier layer A is a layer composed of SiOC in which the content ratio of carbon is in a range of more than 0% and less than 15%. The barrier layer B is a layer composed of SiOC in which the content ratio of carbon is in a range of 1.1 to 4.0 times the content ratio of carbon in the barrier layer A.