Methods for plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of silicon carbonitride films are described. A flowable silicon carbonitride film is formed on a substrate surface by exposing the substrate surface to a precursor and a reactant, the precursor having a structure of general formula (I) or general formula (II)

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.11, and R.sup.12 are independently selected from hydrogen (H), substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy, substituted or unsubstituted vinyl, silane, substituted or unsubstituted amine, or halide; purging the processing chamber of the silicon precursor, and then exposing the substrate to an ammonia plasma.

A coated cutting tool having a substrate and a coating is provided. The coating includes an inner α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-multilayer and an outer α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-single-layer. The thickness of the inner α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-multilayer is less than or equal to 35% of the sum of the thickness of the inner α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-multilayer and the thickness of the outer α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-single-layer. The sum of the thickness of the inner α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-multilayer and the outer α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-single-layer is 2-15 μm. The inner α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-multilayer consists of alternating sublayers of α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and sublayers of TiCO, TiCNO, AlTiCO or AlTiCNO. The inner α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-multilayer can include at least 5 sublayers of α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3.

A coated cutting tool having a substrate and a coating is provided. The coating includes an inner α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-multilayer and an outer α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-single-layer. The thickness of the inner α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-multilayer is less than or equal to 35% of the sum of the thickness of the inner α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-multilayer and the thickness of the outer α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-single-layer. The sum of the thickness of the inner α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-multilayer and the outer α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-single-layer is 2-15 μm. The inner α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-multilayer consists of alternating sublayers of α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and sublayers of TiCO, TiCNO, AlTiCO or AlTiCNO. The inner α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3-multilayer can include at least 5 sublayers of α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3.

Artificial lift pump components such as couplings are disclosed, all having a body formed from a selected material, the body having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, a first surface treatment introducing carbon, nitrogen, boron into the material to form a first and hard layer, and a second layer defined as an deposited coating to the first layer that is also made of a carbon, nitrogen, or boron and is further characterized as being ceramic like (hard) and having a low-friction.

A coated tool includes a base and a coating film on the base. The coating film includes an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 layer, and a surface layer on the Al.sub.2O.sub.3 layer. The surface layer has a first erosion rate of 0.1 μm/min or less. The first erosion rate is obtained from measurement by causing a liquid A, in which 3 mass % of amorphous Al.sub.2O.sub.3 particles having a mean particle diameter of 1.1-1.3 μm is dispersed in purified water, to collide with the surface layer. The surface layer has a second erosion rate of 2.0 μm/min or more. The second erosion rate is obtained from measurement by causing a liquid B, in which 3 mass % of spherical Al.sub.2O.sub.3 particles having a mean particle diameter of 2.8-3.2 μm is dispersed in purified water, to collide with the surface layer.

A coated tool includes a base and a coating film on the base. The coating film includes an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 layer, and a surface layer on the Al.sub.2O.sub.3 layer. The surface layer has a first erosion rate of 0.1 μm/min or less. The first erosion rate is obtained from measurement by causing a liquid A, in which 3 mass % of amorphous Al.sub.2O.sub.3 particles having a mean particle diameter of 1.1-1.3 μm is dispersed in purified water, to collide with the surface layer. The surface layer has a second erosion rate of 2.0 μm/min or more. The second erosion rate is obtained from measurement by causing a liquid B, in which 3 mass % of spherical Al.sub.2O.sub.3 particles having a mean particle diameter of 2.8-3.2 μm is dispersed in purified water, to collide with the surface layer.

Provided is a cutting tool including a base material and a coating layer provided on the base material, the coating layer including a titanium carbonitride layer provided on the base material, an intermediate layer provided on the titanium carbonitride layer in contact therewith, and an alumina layer provided on the intermediate layer in contact therewith, the intermediate layer being composed of a compound made of titanium, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen, the intermediate layer having a thickness of more than 1 μm, when P.sub.C1 atomic % represents an atomic ratio of the carbon in an interface between the intermediate layer and the alumina layer, and P.sub.C2 atomic % represents an atomic ratio of the carbon at a point A away from the interface by 1 μm on a side of the intermediate layer, a ratio P.sub.C1/P.sub.C2 of the P.sub.C1 to the P.sub.C2 being more than or equal to 1.03.

Provided is a cutting tool including a base material and a coating layer provided on the base material, the coating layer including a titanium carbonitride layer provided on the base material, an intermediate layer provided on the titanium carbonitride layer in contact therewith, and an alumina layer provided on the intermediate layer in contact therewith, the intermediate layer being composed of a compound made of titanium, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen, the intermediate layer having a thickness of more than 1 μm, when P.sub.C1 atomic % represents an atomic ratio of the carbon in an interface between the intermediate layer and the alumina layer, and P.sub.C2 atomic % represents an atomic ratio of the carbon at a point A away from the interface by 1 μm on a side of the intermediate layer, a ratio P.sub.C1/P.sub.C2 of the P.sub.C1 to the P.sub.C2 being more than or equal to 1.03.

A coated cutting tool, comprising: a substrate; and a coating layer formed on a surface of the substrate, wherein the coating layer includes a lower layer and an upper layer in this order from a substrate side toward a surface side, and the upper layer is formed on a surface of the lower layer, the lower layer contains a compound having a composition represented by (Al.sub.xTi.sub.1-x)N, an average thickness of the lower layer is 1.0 μm or more and 15.0 μm or less, the upper layer contains an α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3 layer containing α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3, an average thickness of the upper layer is 0.5 μm or more and 15.0 μm or less, and in grains of the α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3 layer, a proportion of grains of which a grain size is 0.05 μm or more and less than 0.5 μm is 50% by area or more and 80% by area or less.

A coated cutting tool, comprising: a substrate; and a coating layer formed on a surface of the substrate, wherein the coating layer includes a lower layer and an upper layer in this order from a substrate side toward a surface side, and the upper layer is formed on a surface of the lower layer, the lower layer contains a compound having a composition represented by (Al.sub.xTi.sub.1-x)N, an average thickness of the lower layer is 1.0 μm or more and 15.0 μm or less, the upper layer contains an α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3 layer containing α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3, an average thickness of the upper layer is 0.5 μm or more and 15.0 μm or less, and in grains of the α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3 layer, a proportion of grains of which a grain size is 0.05 μm or more and less than 0.5 μm is 50% by area or more and 80% by area or less.