SURFACE COATED CUTTING TOOL

Abstract

A surface-coated cutting tool with a hard coating layer is provided. The hard coating layer includes at least a complex nitride or carbonitride layer (2) expressed by a composition formula: (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z), Me being an element selected from Si, Zr, B, V, and Cr. The average content ratio X.sub.avg, the average content ratio Y.sub.avg, and the average content ratio Z.sub.avg satisfy 0.60≦X.sub.avg, 0.005≦Y.sub.avg≦0.10, 0≦Z.sub.avg≦0.005, and 0.605≦x.sub.avg+y.sub.avg≦0.95. There are crystal grains having a cubic structure in the crystal grains constituting the complex nitride or carbonitride layer (2). A predetermined periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me exists in the crystal grains having the cubic structure.

Claims

1. A surface coated cutting tool comprising: a tool body made of any one of tungsten carbide-based cemented carbide, titanium carbonitride-based cermet, and cubic boron nitride-based ultra-high pressure sintered material; and a hard coating layer formed on a surface of the body, wherein (a) the hard coating layer comprises at least a Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer having an average layer thickness of 1 μm to 20 μm, Me being an element selected from Si, Zr, B, V, and Cr, in a case where a composition of the complex nitride or carbonitride layer is expressed by a composition formula: (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z), an average content ratio X.sub.avg, which is a ratio of Al to a total amount of Ti, Al and Me in the complex nitride or carbonitride layer; an average content ratio Y.sub.avg, which is a ratio of Me to the total amount of Ti, Al and Me in the complex nitride or carbonitride layer; and an average content ratio Z.sub.avg, which is a ratio of C to a total amount of C and N, satisfy 0.60≦X.sub.avg, 0.005≦Y.sub.avg≦0.10, 0≦Z.sub.avg≦0.005, and 0.605≦X.sub.avg+Y.sub.avg≦0.95, provided that each of X.sub.avg, Y.sub.avg and Z.sub.avg is in atomic ratio, (b) the complex nitride or carbonitride layer includes at least a phase of Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride having a NaCl type face-centered cubic structure, (c) when crystal orientations of crystal grains of the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride having the NaCl type face-centered cubic structure in the complex nitride or carbonitride layer are analyzed from a vertical cross sectional direction with an electron beam backward scattering diffraction device, inclined angles of normal lines of {111} planes, which are crystal planes of the crystal grains, relative to an direction of a normal line of the surface of the tool body are measured, and an inclined angle frequency distribution is obtained by tallying frequencies present in each section after dividing inclined angles into sections in every 0.25° pitch in a range of 0 to 45° relative to the direction of the normal line among the inclined angles, a highest peak is present in an inclined angle section in a range of 0° to 12°, a ratio of a sum of frequencies in the range of 0° to 12° to an overall frequency in the inclined angle frequency distribution is 35% or more, (d) a periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me in the composition formula: (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z) exists in the crystal grains of the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride having the NaCl type face-centered cubic structure, a difference Δx between X.sub.max and X.sub.min is 0.03 to 0.25, X.sub.max and X.sub.min being an average value of local maximums of the periodically fluctuating Al content x and an average value of local minimums of the periodically fluctuating Al content x, respectively, and (e) a period along the direction of the normal line of the surface of the body is 3 nm to 100 nm in the crystal grains, in which the periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me exists, having the NaCl type face-centered cubic structure in the complex nitride or carbonitride layer.

2. The surface coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein in the crystal grains, in which the periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me exists, having the NaCl type face-centered cubic structure in the complex nitride or carbonitride layer, the periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me is aligned along with an orientation belonging to equivalent crystal orientations expressed by <001> in a cubic crystal grain, a period along the orientation is 3 nm to 100 nm, and a maximum ΔXo of a change of content ratio x of Al in a plane perpendicular to the orientation is 0.01 or less.

3. The surface coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein in the crystal grains, in which the periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me exists, having the NaCl type face-centered cubic structure in the complex nitride or carbonitride layer, a region A and a region B exist in the crystal grains; and a boundary of the region A and region B is formed in a crystal plane belonging to equivalent crystal planes expressed by {110}, wherein (a) the region A is a region, in which the periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me is aligned along with an orientation belonging to equivalent crystal orientations expressed by <001> in a cubic crystal grain, and in a case where the orientation is defined as an orientation d.sub.A, a period along the orientation d.sub.A is 3 nm to 100 nm and a maximum ΔXod.sub.A of a change of content ratio x of Al in a plane perpendicular to the orientation d.sub.A is 0.01 or less, and (b) the region B is a region, in which the periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me is aligned along with an orientation, which is perpendicular to the orientation d.sub.A, belonging to equivalent crystal orientations expressed by <001> in a cubic crystal grain, and in a case where the orientation is defined as an orientation d.sub.B, a period along the orientation d.sub.B is 3 nm to 100 nm and a maximum ΔXod.sub.B of a change of content ratio x of Al in a plane perpendicular to the orientation d.sub.B is 0.01 or less.

4. The surface coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein a lattice constant a of the crystal grains having the NaCl type face-centered cubic structure satisfies a relationship, 0.05a.sub.TiN+0.95a.sub.AlN≦a≦0.4a.sub.TiN+0.6a.sub.AlN relative to a lattice constant a.sub.TiN of a cubic TiN and a lattice constant a.sub.AlN of a cubic AlN, the lattice constant a of the crystal grains having the NaCl type face-centered cubic structure being obtained from X-ray diffraction on the complex nitride or carbonitride layer.

5. The surface coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein in a case where the complex nitride or carbonitride layer is observed from the vertical cross sectional direction of the layer, the surface coated cutting tool includes a columnar structure, in which an average grain width W and an average aspect ratio A of the crystal grains of the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride having the NaCl type face-centered cubic structure are 0.1 μm to 2.0 μm and 2 to 10, respectively.

6. The surface coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein an area ratio of the complex nitride or carbonitride having the NaCl type face-centered cubic structure is 70 area % or more in the complex nitride or carbonitride layer.

7. The surface coated cutting tool according to claim 1, further comprising a lower layer between the tool body made of any one of tungsten carbide-based cemented carbide, titanium carbonitride-based cermet, and cubic boron nitride-based ultra-high pressure sintered material; and the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer, wherein the lower layer comprises a Ti compound layer, which is made of one or more layers selected from a group consisting of a Ti carbide layer; a Ti nitride layer; a Ti carbonitride layer; a Ti oxycarbide layer; and a Ti oxycarbonitride layer, and has an average total layer thickness of 0.1 μm to 20 μm.

8. The surface coated cutting tool according to claim 1, further comprising an upper layer in an upper part of the complex nitride or carbonitride layer, the upper layer comprises at least an aluminum oxide layer with an average layer thickness of 1 μm to 25 μm.

9. A method of manufacturing the surface coated cutting tool according to claim 1, the complex nitride or carbonitride layer is formed by a chemical vapor deposition method, a reaction gas component of which includes at least trimethyl aluminum.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0086] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the layer constitution showing the cross section of the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer 2 constituting the hard coating layer 1 in the present invention schematically. A horizontal striped pattern is the periodic change of the Al content ratio in crystal grains constituting the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer.

[0087] FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram showing the case (7), in which the inclined angle 6 of the normal line of the {111} plane, which is a crystal plane of the crystal grain, relative to the normal line 5 of the surface of the tool body (direction perpendicular to the surface 4 of the tool body (the polished face of the surface of the tool body) on the polished cross section) is 0°.

[0088] FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram showing the case (8), in which the inclined angle 6 of the normal line of the {111} plane, which is a crystal plane of the crystal grain, relative to the normal line 5 of the surface of the tool body (direction perpendicular to the surface 4 of the tool body (polished face of the surface of the tool body) on the polished cross section) is 45°.

[0089] FIG. 3A is a graph showing an example of the inclined angle frequency distribution obtained on crystal grains having a cubic structure on the cross section of the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer 2 constituting the hard coating layer 1 of the present invention.

[0090] FIG. 3B is a graph showing an example of the inclined angle frequency distribution obtained on crystal grains having a cubic structure on the cross section of the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer constituting the hard coating layer 1 of a comparative example.

[0091] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram schematically showing: the periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me is aligned along with an orientation (indicated by an arrow) belonging to equivalent crystal orientations expressed by <001> in a cubic crystal grain; and the change of the content ratio x of Al in the plane perpendicular to the orientation (the plane seen from the side is indicated by the line perpendicular to the arrow) is minimum, in regard to the cubic phase crystal grains, in which the periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me exists, having a cubic crystal structure in the cross section of the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer 2 constituting the hard coating layer 1 corresponding to the first embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the change of the content ratio x of Al in the perpendicular plane is 0.01 or less. The bright parts indicate the regions 9, in which the Al content is relatively high. The dark parts indicate the region 10, in which the Al content is relatively low.

[0092] FIG. 5 shows an example of a graph of a periodical concentration change of the content ratio x of Al to the total of the content ratios of Ti, Al and Me. The graph is results of performing a liner analysis by the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) with a transmission electron microscope on a crystal grain, in which a periodical concentration change of Ti, Al and Me exists, having a cubic crystal structure, on the cross section of the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer constituting the hard coating layer 1 corresponding an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the periodical concentration change of Al in the crystal grain having the cubic structure in the complex nitride or carbonitride layer 2 is shown. In the graphs, three local maximums 11a, 11b, and 11c; and four local minimums 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d are shown.

[0093] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing that the region A (13) and region B (14) exist in the crystal grain, in regard to crystal grains, in which the periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me exists, having a cubic crystal structure in the cross section of the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer 2 constituting the hard coating layer 1 corresponding to the first embodiment of the present invention. The boundary 15 is formed in the part where the region A (13) and the region B (14) contact each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0094] The surface coated cutting tool of the present invention includes: a cemented carbide tool body, which is made of any one of tungsten carbide-based cemented carbide, titanium carbonitride-based cermet, and cubic boron nitride-based ultra-high pressure sintered material; and a hard coating layer 1 formed on a surface of the tool body 3. The hard coating layer 1 includes at least a Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer 2, which has an average layer thickness of 1 μm to 20 μm. In a case where a composition of the complex nitride or carbonitride layer 2 is expressed by a composition formula: (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z), an average content ratio X.sub.avg, which is a ratio of Al to a total amount of Ti, Al and Me; an average content ratio Y.sub.avg, which is a ratio of Me to the total amount of Ti, Al and Me; and an average content ratio Z.sub.avg, which is a ratio of C to a total amount of C and N, satisfy 0.60≦X.sub.avg, 0.005≦Y.sub.avg≦0.10, 0≦Z.sub.avg≦0.005, and 0.605≦X.sub.avg+Y.sub.avg≦0.95, provided that each of X.sub.avg, Y.sub.avg and Z.sub.avg is in atomic ratio. The crystal grains constituting the complex nitride or carbonitride layer 2 include at least crystal grains having a cubic crystal structure. When crystal orientations of crystal grains having the cubic crystal structure are analyzed from a vertical cross sectional direction with an electron beam backward scattering diffraction device, inclined angles of normal lines 6 of {111} planes, which are crystal planes of the crystal grains, relative to an direction of a normal line of the surface of the tool body are measured, and an inclined angle frequency distribution is obtained by tallying frequencies present in each section after dividing inclined angles into sections in every 0.25° pitch in a range of 0 to 45° relative to the direction of the normal line among the inclined angles, a highest peak is present in an inclined angle section in a range of 0° to 12°, a ratio of a sum of frequencies in the range of 0° to 12° to an overall frequency in the inclined angle frequency distribution is 35% or more. A periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me in the composition formula: (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z) exists in the crystal grains having the cubic crystal structure. A difference Δx between X.sub.max and X.sub.min is 0.03 to 0.25, X.sub.max and X.sub.min being an average value of local maximums of the periodically fluctuating Al content x and an average value of local minimums of the periodically fluctuating Al content x, respectively. A period along the direction of the normal line of the surface of the tool body is 3 nm to 100 nm in the crystal grains, in which the periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me exists, having the NaCl type face-centered cubic structure. By having the above-described configurations, the chipping resistance is improved; the coated tool exhibits excellent cutting performance for a long-term usage compared to the conventional hard coating layer; and the longer service life of the coated tool is achieved. As long as the above-described criterions are satisfied, any form of embodiment can be chosen.

[0095] Next, the coated tool of the present invention is explained specifically by using Examples.

Example 1

[0096] As raw material powders, the WC powder, the TiC powder, the TaC powder, the NbC powder, the Cr.sub.3C.sub.2 powder, and the Co powder, all of which had the average grain sizes of 1-3 μm, were prepared. These raw material powders were blended in the blending composition shown in Table 1. Then, wax was added to the blended mixture, and further mixed in acetone for 24 hours with a ball mill. After drying under reduced pressure, the mixtures were press-molded into green compacts with a predetermined shape under pressure of 98 MPa. Then, the obtained green compacts were sintered in vacuum in the condition of 5 Pa vacuum at the predetermined temperature in the range of 1370-1470° C. for 1 hour retention. After sintering, the tool bodies A-C, which had the insert-shape defined by ISO-SEEN1203AFSN and made of WC-based cemented carbide, were produced.

[0097] Also, as raw material powders, the TiCN powder (TiC/TiN=50/50 in mass ratio), the Mo.sub.2C powder, the ZrC powder, the NbC powder, the WC powder, the Co powder, and the Ni powders, all of which had the average grain sizes of 0.5-2 μm, were prepared. These raw material powders were blended in the blending composition shown in Table 2. Then, with a ball mill, the obtained mixtures were subjected to wet-mixing for 24 hours. After drying, the mixtures were press-molded into green compacts under pressure of 98 MPa. The obtained green compacts were sintered in the condition of: in nitrogen atmosphere of 1.3 kPa; at a temperature of 1500° C.; and for 1 hour of the retention time. After sintering, the tool body D, which had the insert-shape defined by ISO-SEEN1203AFSN and made of TiCN-based cermet, was produced.

[0098] Next, the coated tools of the present invention 1-15 were produced by performing the thermal CVD method for predetermined times to form the hard coating layer made of the (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z) layer having the intended layer thicknesses shown in Table 7 on the surfaces of the tool bodies A to D by using a chemical vapor deposition apparatus. The formation condition is as shown in Table 4. The gas group A was made of NH.sub.3 and N.sub.2. The gas group B was made of TiCl.sub.4, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3, AlCl.sub.3, MeCl.sub.n (any one of SiCl.sub.4, ZrCl.sub.4, BCl.sub.3, VCl.sub.4, and CrCl.sub.2), NH.sub.3, N.sub.2, and H.sub.2. Suppling method of each of gases was as follows. The composition of the reaction (volume % to the total amount including the gas group A and the gas group B) gas included: 1.0% to 1.5% of NH.sub.3, 0% to 5% of N.sub.2 and 55% to 60% of H.sub.2 as the components from the gas group A; and 0.6% to 0.9% of AlCl.sub.3, 0.2% to 0.3% of TiCl.sub.4, 0% to 0.5% of Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3, 0.1% to 0.2% of MeCl.sub.n (any one of SiCl.sub.4, ZrCl.sub.4, BCl.sub.3, VCl.sub.4, and CrCl.sub.2), 0.0% to 12.0% of N.sub.2, and the H.sub.2 balance as the components from the gas group B. The pressure of the reaction atmosphere was 4.5 to 5.0 kPa. The temperature of the reaction atmosphere was 700 to 900° C. The supplying period was 1 to 5 seconds. The gas supplying time per one period was 0.15 to 0.25 second. The phase difference in supplying the gas groups A and B was 0.10 to 0.20 seconds.

[0099] In regard to the coated tools of the present invention 6-13, the lower layer and/or the upper layer were formed as shown in Table 6 in the formation condition shown in Table 3.

[0100] In addition, for a comparison purpose, the hard coating layers including a Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer were deposited on the surfaces of the tool bodies A-D, in the conditions shown in Tables 5, in the intended total layer thicknesses (μm) shown in Table 8. At this time, the comparative coated tools 1-15 were produced by forming the hard coating layer in the coating process of the (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z) layer in such a way that the composition of the reaction gas on the surfaces of the tool bodies did not change by time.

[0101] As in the coated tools 6-13 of the present invention, in regard to the comparative coated tools 6-13, the lower layer and the upper layer shown in Table 6 were formed in the formation condition shown in Table 3.

[0102] On the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer constituting the hard coating layers of the coated tools of the present invention 1-15 and the comparative coated tools 1-15, the cross section of the hard coating layer in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the tool body, which was in the polished state, was set in the lens barrel of the field emission scanning electron microscope. Then, electron beam with an acceleration voltage of 15 kV was irradiated with an irradiation current of 1 nA on each of crystal grains having the cubic crystal lattice existing in the measurement range on the polished cross section at an incident angle of 70 degrees. Then, on the hard coating layers in the measurement range defined by distances of the layer thickness or less, the inclined angles of the normal line of the {111} plane, which was a crystal plane of the crystal grain, relative to the normal line of the surface of the tool body (direction perpendicular to the surface of the body on the polished cross section) in every interval of 0.01 μm/step along the cross section in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the tool body in the length of 100 μm in the horizontal direction to the surface of the tool body by using the electron beam backward scattering diffraction device. Based on these measurements, and by dividing the inclined angles in the range of 0° to 45° among the obtained inclined angles in every 0.25° pitch and tallying the frequencies existing in each section, the existence of the peak of the frequencies existing in the range of 0° to 12° was confirmed; and the ratio of the frequencies existing in the range of 0° to 12° was obtained.

[0103] In addition, the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layers constituting the hard coating layers of the coated tools of the present invention 1-15 and the comparative coated tools 1-15 were observed in multiple viewing fields by using the scanning electron microscope (magnification: 5,000 times, and 20,000 times).

[0104] In the coated tools of the present invention 1-15, existence of the (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z) layer in the columnar structure of the cubic crystals or the columnar structure including the mixed phase of the cubic crystals and the hexagonal crystals was confirmed as shown in the schematic diagram shown in FIG. 1. In addition, existence of the periodical distribution of Ti, Al and Me (the concentration change, the content ratio change) in the cubic crystal grains was confirmed by the surface analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy method (EDS) using the transmission scanning electron microscope.

[0105] In addition, on the coated tools of the present invention 1-15 and the comparative coated tools 1-15, by using the results of the surface analysis by EDS using the transmission scanning electron microscope, the X.sub.max, which was the average value of the local maximums of x in the five period of x, and X.sub.min, which was the average value of the local minimums of x in the five period of x, were obtained. Then, the difference Δx of them (=X.sub.max−X.sub.min) was obtained.

[0106] It was confirmed that the period was 3 nm to 100 nm; and the value of Δx, which was the difference of the average value of the local maximums and the average value of the local minimums, was in the range of 0.03 to 0.25 in the coated tools of the present invention 1-15.

[0107] The cross sections perpendicular to the tool body of each constituent layer of: the coated tools of the present invention 1-15; and the comparative coated tools 1-15, were measured by using a scanning electron microscope (magnification: 5,000). The average layer thicknesses were obtained by averaging layer thicknesses measured at 5 points within the observation viewing field. In any measurement, the obtained layer thickness was practically the same as the intended layer thicknesses shown in Tables 7 and 8.

[0108] In addition, in regard to the average Al content ratio of the complex nitride layer or the complex carbonitride layer and the average Me content ratio of the coated tools of the present invention 1-15; and the comparative coated tools 1-15, an electron beam was irradiated to the polished surface of the samples from the surface side of the sample by using EPMA (Electron-Probe-Micro-Analyzer). Then, the average Al content ratio X.sub.avg and the average Me ratio Y.sub.avg, were obtained from 10-point average of the analysis results of the characteristic X-ray. The average C content ratio Z.sub.avg, was obtained by secondary-ion-mass-spectroscopy (SIMS).

[0109] An ion beam was irradiated on the range of 70 μm×70 μm from the front surface side of the sample. In regard to the components released by sputtering effect, content ratio measurement in the depth direction was performed. The average C content ratio Z.sub.avg, indicates the average value in the depth direction of the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer. In terms of the C content ratio, the inevitably included C content ratio, which was included without the intentional use of the gas containing C as the raw material gas, was excluded. Specifically, the content ratio (atomic ratio) of the C component included in the complex nitride or carbonitride layer in the case where the supply amount of Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3 was set to 0 was obtained as the inevitably included C content ratio. Then, the value, in which the inevitably included C content ratio was subtracted from the content ratio of the C component (atomic ratio) included in the complex nitride or carbonitride layer in the case where Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3 was intentionally supplied, was obtained as Z.sub.avg.

[0110] On the coated tools of the present invention 1-15; and the comparative coated tools 1-15, the average aspect ratio A and the average grain width W were obtained as explained below. In regard to the individual crystal grains in the (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z) layer constituting the complex nitride or carbonitride layer existing in the length range of 10 μm in the direction horizontal to the surface of the tool body, the grain width “w” in the direction parallel to the surface of the tool body; and the grain length “l” in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the tool body were measured by using a scanning electron microscope (magnification: 5,000 times, 20,000 times) from the cross sectional direction perpendicular to the tool body. Then, the aspect ratio “a” (=l/w) of each of the individual crystal grains were calculated; and the average aspect ratio A was obtained as the average value of the aspect ratios “a.” The average grain width W was obtained as the average value of the grain widths “w” obtained from each of the crystal grains.

[0111] In the state where the cross section of the hard coating layer in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the tool body, which was made of the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer, was polished to be a polished surface, by setting the sample in the lens barrel of the electron backscatter diffraction apparatus; by irradiating an electron beam to each crystal grain existing within the measurement range in the above-described polished surface of the cross section in the condition where the angle of incidence was 70°, the accelerating voltage was 15 kV, and the irradiation current was 1 nA; by measuring the electron backscatter diffraction pattern in the length of 100 μm in the direction horizontal to the surface of the tool body at the interval of 0.01 μm/step in the hard coating layer; and by identifying whether each of crystals was in the cubic crystal structure or in the hexagonal crystal structure by analyzing the crystal structure of each crystal grain, by using an electron backscatter diffraction apparatus.

[0112] In addition, observation of the micro region of the complex nitride or carbonitride layer 2 was performed by using a transmission electron microscope; and the plane analysis from the cross section side was performed by using the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) method. By these observation and analysis, existence of the periodic content ratio change of Ti, Al and Me in the composition formula (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z) in the crystal grains having the cubic crystal structure was confirmed. In the case where there was this concentration change existed, the difference Δx(=X.sub.max−X.sub.min) was obtained: by confirming that the periodic concentration change of Ti, Al and Me existed in an orientation among equivalent crystal orientations expressed by <001> in the cubic crystal grain by performing the electron beam diffraction on the crystal grains; performing the liner analysis in the section corresponding to the five periods along the orientation by EDS; obtaining the average value X.sub.max of the local maximums of the periodical concentration change of Al relative to the total of Ti, Al and Me; and obtaining the average value X.sub.min of the local minimums of the periodical concentration change of Al relative to the total of Ti, Al and Me in the same section.

[0113] In addition, the linear analysis was performed along the direction perpendicular to the orientation among the equivalent crystal orientations expressed by <001> of the cubic crystal grain having the periodical concentration change of Ti, Al and Me in the length corresponding to the section of the above-described five periods. Then, the difference between the maximum and the minimum of the content ratio x of Al in the section was obtained as the maximum ΔXo of the change of the content ratio in the plane perpendicular to the direction perpendicular to the orientation among the equivalent crystal orientations expressed by <001> of the cubic crystal grain having the periodical concentration change of Ti, Al and Me.

[0114] In addition, on the crystal grains in which the region A and the region B existed in the crystal grains, the difference Δx(=X.sub.max−X.sub.min) between the average value X.sub.max of the local maximums of the periodical concentration change of Al relative to the total of Ti, Al and Me in the five periods and the average value X.sub.min of the local minimums was obtained; and the difference between the maximum and minimum of the content ratio x of Al relative to the total of Ti, Al and Me in the plane perpendicular to the orientation among the equivalent crystal orientations expressed by <001> in the cubic crystal grain having the periodical concentration change of Ti, Al and Me was obtained as the maximum of the content ratio change, to each of the region A and the region B as described above.

[0115] That is, in the case where the periodical concentration change of Ti, Al and Me existed along one orientation among equivalent crystal orientations expressed by <001> in the cubic crystal grain in the region A and the orientation was defined as the orientation d.sub.A, the difference of the maximum and the minimum of the content ratio x of Al in the section was obtained as the maximum ΔXod.sub.A of the change of the content ratio in the plane perpendicular to the direction perpendicular to the orientation among the equivalent crystal orientations expressed by <001> of the cubic crystal grain having the periodical concentration change of Ti, Al and Me by obtaining the period of the concentration change along the orientation d.sub.A and performing the linear analysis along the direction perpendicular to the orientation d.sub.A in the section having the length corresponding to five periods.

[0116] In the case where the periodical concentration change of Ti, Al and Me existed along one orientation among equivalent crystal orientations expressed by <001> in the cubic crystal grain in the region B and the orientation was defined as the orientation d.sub.B, the difference of the maximum and the minimum of the content ratio x of Al in the section was obtained as the maximum ΔXod.sub.B of the change of the content ratio in the plane perpendicular to the direction perpendicular to the orientation among the equivalent crystal orientations expressed by <001> of the cubic crystal grain having the periodical concentration change of Ti, Al and Me by obtaining the period of the concentration change along the orientation d.sub.B and performing the linear analysis along the direction perpendicular to the orientation d.sub.B in the section having the length corresponding to five periods.

[0117] In addition, on the coated tools of the present invention 1-15, it was confirmed that the boundary between the region A and the region B was formed in one plane among equivalent crystal planes expressed by {110}.

[0118] Such confirmations of the period were performed in at least one crystal grain in the viewing field of the micro region of the complex nitride or carbonitride layer using the transmission scanning electron microscope. In addition, in terms of the crystal grains in which the region A and the region B coexisted, the average value was calculated from the values evaluated in at least one crystal grain in the viewing field of the micro region of the complex nitride or carbonitride layer using the transmission scanning electron microscope in each of the region A and the region B in the specific crystal grain.

[0119] Each of measurement results described above are shown in Tables 7 and 8.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Blending composition (mass %) Type Co TiC TaC NbC Cr.sub.3C.sub.2 WC Tool body A 8.0 1.5 — 3.0 0.4 balance B 8.5 — 1.8 0.2 — balance C 7.0 — — — — balance

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Blending composition (mass %) Type Co Ni ZrC NbC Mo.sub.2C WC TiCN Tool body D 8 5 1 6 6 10 balance

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Formation condition Layers constituting the hard coating layer (reaction pressure and temperature are indicated by kPa and ° C., respectively) Formation Reaction atmosphere Type symbol Reaction gas composition (volume %) Pressure Temperature (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) layer Refer Tables 4 and 5 Ti compound layer TiC TiC TiCl.sub.4: 2%, CH.sub.4: 10%, H.sub.2: balance 7 850 TiN TiN TiCl.sub.4: 4.2%, N.sub.2: 30%, H.sub.2: balance 30 780 TiCN TiCN TiCl.sub.4: 2%, CH.sub.3CN: 0.7%, N.sub.2: 10%, H.sub.2: balance 7 780 TiCO TiCO TiCl.sub.4: 4.2%, CO: 4%, H.sub.2: balance 7 850 TiCNO TiCNO TiCl.sub.4: 2%, CH.sub.3CN: 0.7%, N.sub.2: 10%, CO.sub.2: 0.3% H.sub.2: balance 13 780 Al.sub.2O.sub.3 compound Al.sub.2O.sub.3 Al.sub.2O.sub.3 AlCl.sub.3: 2.2%, CO.sub.2: 5.5%, HCl: 2.2%, H.sub.2S: 0.8%, H.sub.2: balance 7 800 layer

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Formation condition (the composition of the reaction gas indicates the ratio relative to the sum of the gas group A and the gas group B. Units of pressure and temperature of the reaction atmosphere are kPa and ° C., respectively) Phase difference Formation of the of hard coating Gas group A Gas group B supplying Reaction layer Composition of Supply Supply the gas atmosphere For- the reaction gas Supply time per a Supply time per a groups A Tem- Process mation group A period period Composition of the reaction gas period period and B per- type symbol (volume %) (second) (second) group B (volume %) (second) (second) (second) Pressure ature Deposition Si-A NH.sub.3: 1.2%, N.sub.2: 2 0.15 AlCl.sub.3: 0.7%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, 2 0.15 0.10 4.5 750 process 0%, H.sub.2: 58%, SiCl.sub.4: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 5%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: in the 0%, balance H.sub.2 present Si-B NH.sub.3: 1.5%, N.sub.2: 4 0.25 AlCl.sub.3: 0.8%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 4 0.25 0.20 5.0 850 invention 2%, H.sub.2: 57%, SiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, N.sub.2: 2%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Si-C NH.sub.3: 1.1%, N.sub.2: 3 0.20 AlCl.sub.3: 0.6%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 3 0.20 0.15 4.5 800 1%, H.sub.2: 60%, SiCl.sub.4: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 7%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0.2%, balance H.sub.2 Zr-A NH.sub.3: 1.4%, N.sub.2: 4 0.20 AlCl.sub.3: 0.9%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, 4 0.20 0.15 5.0 700 3%, H.sub.2: 56%, ZrCl.sub.4: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 4%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0.5%, balance H.sub.2 Zr-B NH.sub.3: 1.0%, N.sub.2: 5 0.25 AlCl.sub.3: 0.8%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 5 0.25 0.20 4.5 900 0%, H.sub.2: 55%, ZrCl.sub.4: 0.2%, N.sub.2: 3%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Zr-C NH.sub.3: 1.3%, N.sub.2: 3 0.20 AlCl.sub.3: 0.6%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, 3 0.20 0.15 4.5 800 5%, H.sub.2: 59%, ZrCl.sub.4: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 0%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 B-A NH.sub.3: 1.2%, N.sub.2: 1 0.15 AlCl.sub.3: 0.7%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 1 0.15 0.10 5.0 800 0%, H.sub.2: 56%, BCl.sub.3: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 11%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0.2%, balance H.sub.2 B-B NH.sub.3: 1.4%, N.sub.2: 2 0.15 AlCl.sub.3: 0.8%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, 2 0.15 0.10 5.0 800 3%, H.sub.2: 59%, BCl.sub.3: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 1%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 B-C NH.sub.3: 1.0%, N.sub.2: 4 0.20 AlCl.sub.3: 0.9%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 4 0.20 0.15 4.5 750 2%, H.sub.2: 57% BCl.sub.3: 0.2%, N.sub.2: 4%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 V-A NH.sub.3: 1.5%, N.sub.2: 3 0.15 AlCl.sub.3: 0.8%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 3 0.15 0.15 5.0 850 4%, H.sub.2: 60%, VCl.sub.4: 0.2%, N.sub.2: 6%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 V-B NH.sub.3: 1.1%, N.sub.2: 1 0.15 AlCl.sub.3: 0.7%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, 1 0.15 0.10 4.5 750 0%, H.sub.2: 56%, VCl.sub.4: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 5%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0.5%, balance H.sub.2 V-C NH.sub.3: 1.2%, N.sub.2: 2 0.20 AlCl.sub.3: 0.6%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, 2 0.20 0.15 5.0 800 1%, H.sub.2: 58%, VCl.sub.4: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 0%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Cr-A NH.sub.3: 1.1%, N.sub.2: 5 0.25 AlCl.sub.3: 0.9%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, 5 0.25 0.20 5.0 900 2%, H.sub.2: 59%, CrCl.sub.2: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 12%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Cr-B NH.sub.3: 1.4%, N.sub.2: 3 0.20 AlCl.sub.3: 0.7%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 3 0.20 0.15 4.5 700 0%, H.sub.2: 56%, CrCl.sub.2: 0.2%, N.sub.2: 6%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Cr-C NH.sub.3: 1.3%, N.sub.2: 2 0.15 AlCl.sub.3: 0.8%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, 2 0.15 0.15 4.5 800 3%, H.sub.2: 58%, CrCl.sub.2: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 1%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0.5%, balance H.sub.2

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Formation condition (the composition of the reaction gas indicates the ratio relative to the sum of the gas group A and the gas group B. Units of pressure and temperature of the reaction atmosphere are kPa and ° C., respectively) Phase difference Formation of the of hard coating Gas group A Gas group B supplying layer Composition of Supply Supply the gas For- the reaction gas Supply time per a Composition of Supply time per a groups A Process mation group A period period the reaction gas period period and B Reaction atmosphere type symbol (volume %) (second) (second) group B (volume %) (second) (second) (second) Pressure Temperature Comparative Si-a NH.sub.3: 0.7%, N.sub.2: 2%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 0.9%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 6.0 800 deposition H.sub.2: 57%, 0.1%, SiCl.sub.4: 0.1%, process N.sub.2: 5%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Si-b NH.sub.3: 1.3%, N.sub.2: 0%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 0.7%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 4.5 750 H.sub.2: 64%, 0.2%, SiCl.sub.4: 0.4%, N.sub.2: 2%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0.5%, balance H.sub.2 Si-c NH.sub.3: 1.1%, N.sub.2: 1%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 0.6%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 4.0 850 H.sub.2: 59%, 0.5%, SiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, N.sub.2: 9%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Zr-a NH.sub.3: 1.4%, N.sub.2: 3%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 1.3%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 5.0 750 H.sub.2: 55%, 0.2%, ZrCl.sub.4: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 18%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Zr-b NH.sub.3: 2.0%, N.sub.2: 0%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 0.8%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 5.0 800 H.sub.2: 49%, 0.3%, ZrCl.sub.4: 0.5%, N.sub.2: 0%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0.2%, balance H.sub.2 Zr-c NH.sub.3: 1.0%, N.sub.2: 7%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 0.6%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 4.5 900 H.sub.2: 59%, 0.3%, ZrCl.sub.4: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 14%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 B-a NH.sub.3: 1.2%, N.sub.2: 3%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 0.3%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 6.5 950 H.sub.2: 60%, 0.3%, BCl.sub.3: 0.2%, N.sub.2: 1%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 B-b NH.sub.3: 1.8%, N.sub.2: 1%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 0.8%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 5.0 750 H.sub.2: 58%, 0.3%, BCl.sub.3: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 11%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 1.0%, balance H.sub.2 B-c NH.sub.3: 1.3%, N.sub.2: 0%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 0.9%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 4.5 650 H.sub.2: 51%, 0.2%, BCl.sub.3: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 0%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 V-a NH.sub.3: 1.1%, N.sub.2: 4%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 1.2%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 4.5 800 H.sub.2: 56%, 0.1%, VCl.sub.4: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 6%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0.5%, balance H.sub.2 V-b NH.sub.3: 1.0%, N.sub.2: 9%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 0.7%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 3.5 600 H.sub.2: 57%, 0.2%, VCl.sub.4: 0.2%, N.sub.2: 8%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 V-c NH.sub.3: 1.5%, N.sub.2: 3%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 0.8%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 5.0 700 H.sub.2: 60%, 0.3%, VCl.sub.4: 0.4%, N.sub.2: 2%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 1.0%, balance H.sub.2 Cr-a NH.sub.3: 0.5%, N.sub.2: 1%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 0.6%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 4.5 800 H.sub.2: 57%, 0.2%, CrCl.sub.2: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 15%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Cr-b NH.sub.3: 1.2%, N.sub.2: 0%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 0.4%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 5.0 950 H.sub.2: 58%, 0.3%, CrCl.sub.2: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 10%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0.2%, balance H.sub.2 Cr-c NH.sub.3: 1.4%, N.sub.2: 3%, — — AlCl.sub.3: 0.9%, TiCl.sub.4: — — — 4.5 750 H.sub.2: 66%, 0.7%, CrCl.sub.2: 0.4%, N.sub.2: 7%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Hard coating layer (Number at the bottom indicates the intended layer thickness of the layer (μm)) Lower layer Upper layer Type 1st layer 2nd layer 1st layer 2nd layer Coated tools 1 — — — — of the present 2 — — — — invention, and 3 — — — — comparative 4 — — — — coated tools 5 — — — — 6 TiC — — — (0.5) 7 TiN — — — (0.3) 8 TiN TiCN — — (0.5) (4) 9 TiN TiCN — — (0.3) (2) 10 — — Al.sub.2O.sub.3 — (2.5) 11 TiN — TiCN Al.sub.2O.sub.3 (0.5) (0.5) (3) 12 TiC — TiCO Al.sub.2O.sub.3 (1)   (1)   (2) 13 TiN — TiCNO Al.sub.2O.sub.3 (0.1) (0.3) (1) 14 — — — — 15 — — — —

TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Average value of the period Inclined angles of the Formation Sum of frequencies concentration symbol in the distribution change of Ti, the average Inclined Al and Me TiAlMeCN Average Average content angle Difference along the deposition Al Me ratios of Average C section in Δx normal line of Tool Kind process content content Al and content which the Frequency between the surface of body of (refer Table ratio ratio Me ratio highest ratio of X.sub.max and the body Type symbol Me 4) X.sub.avg Y.sub.avg X.sub.avg + Y.sub.avg Z.sub.avg peak exists 0-12° (%) X.sub.min (nm) Coated 1 A Si Si-A 0.84 0.039 0.879 0.0001 5.75-6.0  57 0.14 24 tools of or less the 2 B Si Si-B 0.73 0.084 0.814 0.0001 4.0-4.25 64 0.10 69 present or less invention 3 C Si Si-C 0.63 0.017 0.647 0.0023 1.25-1.5  78 0.05 29 4 D Zr Zr-A 0.93 0.012 0.942 0.0043 9.0-9.25 47 0.18 76 5 A Zr Zr-B 0.71 0.096 0.806 0.0001 2.5-2.75 70 0.13 88 or less 6 B Zr Zr-C 0.77 0.051 0.821 0.0001 5.25-5.5  51 0.07 51 or less 7 C B B-A 0.66 0.025 0.685 0.0011 0.5-0.75 75 0.13 11 8 D B B-B 0.89 0.028 0.918 0.0001 10.25-10.5  44 0.20 33 or less 9 A B B-C 0.79 0.076 0.866 0.0001 3.75-4.0  63 0.16 82 or less 10 B V V-A 0.72 0.096 0.816 0.0037 7.0-7.25 50 0.06 41 11 C V V-B 0.87 0.033 0.903 0.0001 8.5-8.75 48 0.11 7 or less 12 D V V-C 0.80 0.048 0.848 0.0001 4.75-5.0  66 0.19 36 or less 13 A Cr Cr-A 0.93 0.008 0.938 0.0001 11.0-11.25 38 0.23 94 or less 14 B Cr Cr-B 0.67 0.019 0.689 0.0001 2.0-2.25 73 0.04 64 or less 15 C Cr Cr-C 0.91 0.018 0.928 0.0046 9.5-9.75 55 0.18 30 Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Presence or absence of the region, the orientation of Average value the of the period concentration Variation of the period of which width of concentration is Period ΔXodA Area change of Ti, perpendicular width in and ratio Al and Me and the the ΔXodB of the along the Variation boundary of the region A in the Average cubic Intended orientation width regions and the region A Lattice grain Average crystal layer <001> indicated corresponds to region B and the constant a width W aspect phase thickness Type (nm) by ΔXo the {110} plane (nm) region B (Å) (μm) ratio A (%) (μm) Coated 1 22 0.01 or present region ΔXodA: 4.071 1.2 3.7 88 5 tools of less A: 21 nm 0.03 the region ΔXodB: present B: 22 nm 0.02 invention 2 67 0.03 absent — — 4.089 0.6 8.5 95 6 3 26 0.01 or present region ΔXodA: 4.113 0.7 5.4 100 4 less A: 26 nm 0.01 or region less B: 26 nm ΔXodB: 0.01 or less 4 — — absent — — 4.062 2.5 2.8 72 7 5 — — absent — — 4.114 0.2 14.8 82 4 6 46 0.01 or absent — — 4.098 0.8 6.1 74 5 less 7 9 0.05 present region ΔXodA: 4.105 1.4 3.5 97 5 A: 10 nm 0.01 or region less B: 9 nm ΔXodB: 0.01 or less 8 28 0.01 or absent — — 4.057 1.6 1.8 67 3 less 9 78 0.01 or absent — — 4.073 0.3 13.2 79 4 less 10 — — absent — — 4.110 2.3 2.1 95 5 11 5 0.01 or present region ΔXodA: 4.076 1.1 2.7 80 3 less A: 5 nm 0.05 region ΔXodB: B: 5 nm 0.05 12 27 0.04 absent — — 4.090 0.08 32.6 86 4 13 97 — absent — — 4.062 0.6 7.4 63 5 14 66 0.01 or absent — — 4.113 1.5 3.9 100 6 less 15 26 0.04 present region A ΔXodA: 4.067 2.8 1.4 75 4 26 nm 0.01 or region less B: 25 nm ΔXodB: 0.01 or less

TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8 Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Average value of the period of the Formation Sum of Inclined angles frequencies concentration symbol in the distribution change of Ti, the average Inclined Al and Me TiAlMeCN Average Average content Average angle Difference along the deposition Al Me ratios of C section in Δx normal line of Tool Kind process content content Al and content which the Frequency between the surface of body of (refer Table ratio ratio Me ratio highest peak ratio of X.sub.max and the body Type symbol Me 4) X.sub.avg Y.sub.avg X.sub.avg + Y.sub.avg Z.sub.avg exists 0-12° (%) X.sub.min (nm) Comparative 1 A Si Si-a 0.98 0.010 0.990* 0.0001 26.75-27.0*  13* — — coated tools or less 2 B Si Si-b 0.85 0.142* 0.992* 0.0042 23.0-23.25* 19* — — 3 C Si Si-c 0.53* 0.083 0.613 0.0001 2.75-3.0   51  — — or less 4 D Zr Zr-a 0.97 0.001* 0.971* 0.0001 27.5-27.75*  9* — — or less 5 A Zr Zr-b 0.77 0.175* 0.945 0.0017 7.75-8.0   37  — — 6 B Zr Zr-c 0.62 0.044 0.664 0.0001 30.5-30.75*  6* — — or less 7 C B B-a 0.47* 0.138* 0.608 0.0001 1.0-1.25  68  — — or less 8 D B B-b 0.96 0.004* 0.964* 0.0093* 19.5-19.75* 26* — — 9 A B B-c 0.94 0.016 0.956* 0.0001 22.25-22.5*  22* — — or less 10 B V V-a 0.99 0.003* 0.993* 0.0035 38.75-39.0*  18* — — 11 C V V-b 0.86 0.115* 0.975* 0.0001 20.25-20.5*  14* — — or less 12 A V V-c 0.75 0.136* 0.886 0.0082* 4.5-4.75  46  — — 13 D Cr Cr-a 0.81 0.050 0.860 0.0001 29.0-29.25*  5* — — or less 14 B Cr Cr-b 0.55* 0.089 0.639 0.0008 16.5-16.75* 26* — — 15 C Cr Cr-c 0.57* 0.123* 0.693 0.0001 9.75-10.0  51  — — or less Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Presence or absence of the region, the Average value orientation of of the period the Variation of the concentration Period width of concentration period of which width ΔXodA Area change of Ti, is perpendicular in the and ratio Al and Me and the region ΔXodB of the along the Variation boundary of the A and in the Average cubic Intended orientation width regions the region A Lattice grain Average crystal layer <001> indicated corresponds to region and the constant a width W aspect phase thickness Type (nm) by ΔXo the {110} plane B (nm) region B (Å) (μm) ratio A (%) (μm) Comparative 1 — — absent — — 4.047 0.02 1.3 2 5 coated tools 2 — — absent — — 4.053 0.3 1.1 33 6 3 — — absent — — 4.114 2.9 1.4 97 4 4 — — absent — — 4.053 0.2 0.8 11 7 5 — — absent — — 4.108 0.01 1.0 8 4 6 — — absent — — 4.127 0.08 1.3 75 5 7 — — absent — — 4.125 0.9 5.5 85 5 8 — — absent — — 4.050 1.3 0.8 27 3 9 — — absent — — 4.052 0.6 2.2 32 4 10 — — absent — — 4.048 0.02 1.0 3 5 11 — — absent — — 4.079 0.4 6.8 59 3 12 — — absent — — 4.101 2.4 1.6 73 4 13 — — absent — — 4.086 0.05 1.1 52 5 14 — — absent — — 4.139 1.6 3.6 81 6 15 — — absent — — 4.144 0.7 5.7 64 4 Note: Asterisk marks (*) in the columns show they are out of the range corresponding to the scope of the present invention

[0120] Next, each of the coated tools described above was clamped on the face milling cutter made of tool steel with the cutter diameter of 125 mm by a fixing jig. Then, the cutting test of high-speed-dry-center-cutting-face-milling was performed on the coated tools of the present invention 1-15; and the comparative coated tools 1-15, in the clamped-state. The cutting test of high-speed-dry-center-cutting-face-milling is a type of high speed intermittent cutting of alloy steel, and was performed under the condition shown below. After the test, width of flank wear of the cutting edge was measured.

[0121] Tool body: Tungsten carbide-based cemented carbide, titanium carbonitride-based cermet

[0122] Cutting test: High speed dry face milling, center cut cutting

[0123] Work: Block material with a width of 100 mm and a length of 400 mm of JIS-SCM440

[0124] Rotation speed: 891 min.sup.−1

[0125] Cutting speed: 350 m/min

[0126] Depth of cut: 1.5 mm

[0127] Feed rate per tooth: 0.2 mm/tooth

[0128] Cutting time: 8 minutes

[0129] The results of the cutting test are shown in Table 9.

TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 9 Width of wear Results on the flank of cutting Type face (mm) Type test (min) Coated tools of the 1 0.15 Comparative 1 2.4* present invention 2 0.17 coated tools 2 3.8* 3 0.14 3 6.8* 4 0.19 4 2.2* 5 0.16 5 3.4* 6 0.14 6 5.1* 7 0.12 7 4.6* 8 0.11 8 3.3* 9 0.12 9 5.5* 10 0.10 10 2.9* 11 0.09 11 6.4* 12 0.14 12 7.5* 13 0.15 13 6.2* 14 0.18 14 4.0* 15 0.12 15 6.0* Asterisk marks (*) in the column of the coated tools of the comparative examples indicates the cutting time (min) until they reached to their service lives due to occurrence of chipping.

Example 2

[0130] As raw material powders, the WC powder, the TiC powder, the ZrC powder, the TaC powder, the NbC powder, the Cr.sub.3C.sub.2 powder, the TiN powder, and the Co powder, all of which had the average grain sizes of 1-3 μm, were prepared. These raw material powders were blended in the blending composition shown in Table 10. Then, wax was added to the blended mixture, and further mixed in acetone for 24 hours with a ball mill. After drying under reduced pressure, the mixtures were press-molded into green compacts with a predetermined shape under pressure of 98 MPa. Then, the obtained green compacts were sintered in vacuum in the condition of 5 Pa vacuum at the predetermined temperature in the range of 1370-1470° C. for 1 hour retention. After sintering, the tool bodies α-γ, which had the insert-shape defined by ISO standard CNMG120412 and made of WC-based cemented carbide, were produced by performing honing (R: 0.07 mm) on the cutting edge part.

[0131] Also, as raw material powders, the TiCN powder (TiC/TiN=50/50 in mass ratio), the NbC powder, the WC powder, the Co powder, and the Ni powder, all of which had the average grain sizes of 0.5-2 μm, were prepared. These raw material powders were blended in the blending composition shown in Table 11. Then, the mixtures were wet-mixed for 24 hours with a ball mill After drying, the mixtures were press-molded into green compacts under pressure of 98 MPa. The, the obtained green compacts were sintered in nitrogen atmosphere of 1.3 kPa at 1500° C. for 1 hour retention. After sintering, the tool bodyδ, which had the insert-shape defined by ISO standard CNMG120412 and made of TiCN-based cermet, was produced by performing honing (R: 0.09 mm) on the cutting edge part.

[0132] Next, the coated tools of the present invention 16-30 were produced by performing the thermal CVD method in the formation condition shown in Table 4 for predetermined times to deposit the (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z) layers shown in Table 13 on the surfaces of the tool bodies α to γ and the tool body δ by using a chemical vapor deposition apparatus as in Example 1.

[0133] In regard to the coated tools of the present invention 19-28, the lower layer and/or the upper layer were formed as shown in Table 12 in the formation condition shown in Table 3.

[0134] For comparison purposes, the comparative coated tools 16-30 indicated in Table 14 were deposited the hard coating layer on the surface of the tool bodies α-γ and the tool body δ in intended thicknesses shown in Table 14 using a chemical vapor deposition apparatus in the conditions indicated in Tables 5 in the same manner.

[0135] Similarly to the present invention 19-28, in regard to the coated tools of comparative coated cutting tools 19-28, the lower layer and/or the upper layer shown in Table 12 were formed in the forming condition shown in Table 3.

[0136] In regard to the coated tools of the present invention 16-30; and the comparative coated tools 16-30, the cross sections of each constituting layers were subjected to measurement by the scanning electron microscopy (magnification: 20,000); and the average layer thicknesses were obtained by averaging the layer thicknesses measured at 5 points within the observation viewing field. In any measurement, the obtained layer thickness was practically the same as the intended total layer thicknesses shown in Tables 13 and 14.

[0137] In addition, in regard to the hard coating layers of the coated tools of the present invention 16-30; and the comparative coated tools 16-30, the average Al content ratio X.sub.avg; the average Me content ratio Y.sub.avg; the average C content ratio Z.sub.avg; the inclined angle frequency distribution; the difference Δx of the periodical concentration change (=X.sub.max−X.sub.min) and the period; the lattice constant “a”; the average grain width W and the average aspect ratio A of the crystal grains; and the area ratio occupied by the cubic crystal phase in the crystal grains, were obtained by using the same methods indicated in Example 1.

[0138] Results were indicated in Tables 13 and 14.

TABLE-US-00010 TABLE 10 Blending composition (mass %) Type Co TiC ZrC TaC NbC Cr.sub.3C.sub.2 TiN WC Tool α 6.5 — 1.5 — 2.9 0.1 1.5 balance body β 7.6 2.6 — 4.0 0.5 — 1.1 balance γ 6.0 — — — — — — balance

TABLE-US-00011 TABLE 11 Blending composition (mass %) Type Co Ni NbC WC TiCN Tool body δ 11 4 6 15 balance

TABLE-US-00012 TABLE 12 Lower layer (The number at Upper layer (The number at the bottom indicates the intended the bottom indicates the intended average layer thickness (μm)) average layer thickness (μm)) Type 1st layer 2nd layer 3rd layer 4th layer 1st layer 2nd layer 3rd layer 4th layer Coated tools of the 16 — — — — — — — — present invention and 17 — — — — — — — — comparative coated tools 18 — — — — — — — — 19 TiC — — — — — — — (0.5) 20 TiN — — — — — — — (0.1) 21 TiN TiCN — — — — — — (0.5)  (7) 22 TiN TiCN TiN — TiN — — — (0.3) (10) (0.7) (0.7) 23 TiN TiCN TiCN TiN TiCN TiN — — (0.3)  (4) (0.4) (0.3) (0.4) (0.3) 24 — — — — Al.sub.2O.sub.3 — — — (4) 25 TiN — — — TiCN Al.sub.2O.sub.3 — — (0.5) (0.5) (5) 26 TiC — — — TiCO Al.sub.2O.sub.3 — — (1) (1) (2) 27 TiN — — — TiCNO Al.sub.2O.sub.3 — — (0.1) (0.3) (1) 28 TiN — — — TiN TiCN TiCNO Al.sub.2O.sub.3 (0.1) (0.3) (0.8) (0.3) (5) 29 — — — — — — — — 30 — — — — — — — —

TABLE-US-00013 TABLE 13 Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Average value of the period of the Formation Sum of Inclined angles frequencies concentration symbol in the distribution change of Ti, the average Inclined Al and Me TiAlMeCN Average Average content angle Difference along the deposition Al Me ratios of Average C section in Δx normal line of Tool Kind process content content Al and content which the Frequency between the surface of body of (refer Table ratio ratio Me ratio highest ratio of X.sub.max and the body Type symbol Me 4) X.sub.avg Y.sub.avg X.sub.avg + Y.sub.avg Z.sub.avg peak exists 0-12° (%) X.sub.min (nm) Coated 16 α Si Si-A 0.86 0.032 0.892 0.0001 6.5-6.75 53 0.15 22 tools of or less the 17 β Si Si-B 0.75 0.090 0.840 0.0001 3.5-3.75 66 0.09 64 present or less invention 18 γ Si Si-C 0.61 0.015 0.625 0.0029 0.5-0.75 77 0.06 25 19 δ Zr Zr-A 0.94 0.007 0.947 0.0037 9.75-10.0  43 0.21 73 20 α Zr Zr-B 0.73 0.092 0.822 0.0001 3.0-3.25 63 0.11 84 or less 21 β Zr Zr-C 0.81 0.055 0.865 0.0001 4.25-4.5  55 0.05 55 or less 22 γ B B-A 0.68 0.029 0.709 0.0015  0-0.25 81 0.14 8 23 δ B B-B 0.91 0.024 0.934 0.0001 11.0-11.25 40 0.18 36 or less 24 α B B-C 0.78 0.073 0.853 0.0001 3.5-3.75 67 0.14 79 or less 25 β V V-A 0.70 0.098 0.798 0.0042 7.25-7.5  47 0.08 37 26 γ V V-B 0.84 0.044 0.884 0.0001 7.75-8.0  46 0.12 4 or less 27 δ V V-C 0.77 0.051 0.821 0.0001 5.25-5.5  60 0.20 33 or less 28 α Cr Cr-A 0.92 0.006 0.926 0.0001 11.5-11.75 36 0.24 98 or less 29 δ Cr Cr-B 0.65 0.019 0.669 0.0001 1.5-1.75 72 0.03 60 or less 30 γ Cr Cr-C 0.88 0.025 0.905 0.0049 8.75-9.0  59 0.17 27 Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Presence or absence of the region, the orientation of Average value the of the period concentration Variation of the period of which width of concentration is Period ΔXodA Area change of Ti, perpendicular width in and ratio Al and Me and the the ΔXodB of the along the Variation boundary of the region A in the Average cubic Intended orientation width regions and the region A Lattice grain Average crystal layer <001> indicated corresponds to region B and the constant a width W aspect phase thickness Type (nm) by ΔXo the {110} plane (nm) region B (Å) (μm) ratio A (%) (μm) Coated 16 21 0.01 or present region ΔXodA: 4.066 1.3 9.8 81 13 tools of less A: 0.04 the 21 nm ΔXodB: present region 0.03 invention B: 21 nm 17 66 0.04 absent — — 4.080 0.5 8.9 89 9 18 23 0.01 or present region ΔXodA: 4.117 0.9 14.6 100 15 less A: 0.01 or 22 nm less region ΔXodB: B: 23 nm 0.01 or less 19 — — absent — — 4.059 2.6 3.7 68 10 20 — — absent — — 4.108 0.2 16.1 79 17 21 50 0.01 or absent — — 4.096 0.6 7.7 70 8 less 22 6 0.03 present region ΔXodA: 4.101 1.6 4.3 94 7 A: 6 nm 0.01 or region less B: 5 nm ΔXodB: 0.02 23 32 0.01 or absent — — 4.058 1.7 5.8 62 10 less 24 77 0.01 or absent — — 4.075 0.4 25.3 83 12 less 25 — — absent — — 4.109 2.5 5.5 98 14 26 4 0.01 or present region: ΔXodA: 4.082 1.0 6.4 87 9 less A: 4 nm 0.06 region ΔXodB: B: 4 nm 0.05 27 26 0.05 absent — — 4.094 0.05 34.2 90 11 28 96 — absent — — 4.063 0.7 17.6 64 17 29 63 0.01 or absent — — 4.120 1.3 7.7 100 10 less 30 22 0.02 present region A ΔXodA: 4.072 3.0 3.6 80 13 22 nm 0.01 or region less B: 23 nm ΔXodB: 0.01 or less

TABLE-US-00014 TABLE 14 Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Average value of the period of the Formation Sum of Inclined angles frequencies concentration symbol in the distribution change of Ti, the average Inclined Al and Me TiAlMeCN Average Average content angle Difference along the deposition Al Me ratios of Average C section in Δx normal line of Tool Kind process content content Al and content which the Frequency between the surface of body of (refer Table ratio ratio Me ratio highest peak ratio of X.sub.max and the body Type symbol Me 4) X.sub.avg Y.sub.avg X.sub.avg + Y.sub.avg Z.sub.avg exists 0-12° (%) X.sub.min (nm) Com- 16 α Si Si-a 0.99 0.008 0.998* 0.0001 25.75-26.0*  15* — — parative or less coated 17 β Si Si-b 0.83 0.157* 0.987* 0.0037 24.5-24.75* 16* — — tools 18 γ Si Si-c 0.52* 0.092 0.612 0.0001 3.5-3.75  44  — — or less 19 α Zr Zr-a 0.96 0.003* 0.963* 0.0001 29.0-29.25*  7* — — or less 20 δ Zr Zr-b 0.79 0.166* 0.956* 0.0012 8.25-8.5   33* — — 21 β Zr Zr-c 0.64 0.040 0.680 0.0001 28.0-28.25*  9* — — or less 22 γ B B-a 0.46* 0.119* 0.579* 0.0001 0.75-1.0   71  — — or less 23 δ B B-b 0.97 0.006 0.976* 0.0101* 20.75-21.0*  23* — — 24 α B B-c 0.92 0.009 0.929 0.0001 26.25-26.5*  17* — — or less 25 β V V-a 0.99 0.002* 0.993* 0.0039 35.0-35.25* 16* — — 26 γ V V-b 0.85 0.106* 0.956* 0.0001 22.5-22.75* 11* — — or less 27 δ V V-c 0.77 0.145* 0.915 0.0075* 5.25-5.5   42  — — 28 α Cr Cr-a 0.83 0.053 0.883 0.0001 30.5-30.75*  6* — — or less 29 β Cr Cr-b 0.54* 0.086 0.626 0.0011 18.0-18.25* 21* — — 30 γ Cr Cr-c 0.55* 0.133* 0.683 0.0001 10.25-10.5   47  — — or less Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Presence or absence of the region, the Average value orientation of of the period the Variation of the concentration Period width of concentration period of which width ΔXodA Area change of Ti, is perpendicular in the and ratio Al and Me and the region ΔXodB of the along the Variation boundary of the A and in the Average cubic Intended orientation width regions the region A Lattice grain Average crystal layer <001> indicated corresponds to region and the constant a width W aspect phase thickness Type (nm) by ΔXo the {110} plane B (nm) region B (Å) (μm) ratio A (%) (μm) Com- 16 — — absent — — 4.044 0.03 1.1 1 13 parative 17 — — absent — — 4.065 0.4 1.0 36 9 coated 18 — — absent — — 4.128 3.1 4.6 95 15 tools 19 — — absent — — 4.057 0.1 0.9 12 10 20 — — absent — — 4.102 0.01 1.1 7 17 21 — — absent — — 4.121 0.1 1.2 70 8 22 — — absent — — 4.133 0.7 7.4 88 7 23 — — absent — — 4.046 1.2 0.7 24 10 24 — — absent — — 4.058 0.5 1.9 39 12 25 — — absent — — 4.049 0.03 1.2 2 14 26 — — absent — — 4.080 0.6 7.3 61 9 27 — — absent — — 4.099 2.6 4.3 67 11 28 — — absent — — 4.084 0.04 0.9 48 17 29 — — absent — — 4.140 1.7 5.7 83 10 30 — — absent — — 4.138 0.9 11.6 66 13 Note: Asterisk marks (*) in the columns show they are out of the range corresponding to the scope of the present invention

[0139] Next, each of the coated tools described above was clamped on the front end part of the bit made of tool steel by a fixing jig. Then, the dry high-speed intermittent cutting test on alloy steel and the wet high-speed intermittent cutting test on a cast iron were performed on the coated tools of the present invention 16-30; and the comparative coated tools 16-30, in the clamped-state. After the test, width of flank wear of the cutting edge was measured.

Cutting Condition 1:

[0140] Work: Round bar with 4 longitudinal grooves formed at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction of JIS-SCM45C

[0141] Cutting speed: 380 m/min

[0142] Depth of cut: 1.5 mm

[0143] Feed rate: 0.2 mm/rev.

[0144] Cutting time: 5 minutes

[0145] (the normal cutting speed is 220 m/min)

Cutting Condition 2:

[0146] Work: Round bar with 4 longitudinal grooves formed at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction of JIS FCD700

[0147] Cutting speed: 325 m/min

[0148] Depth of cut: 1.2 mm

[0149] Feed rate: 0.1 mm/rev.

[0150] Cutting time: 5 minutes

[0151] (the normal cutting speed is 200 m/min)

[0152] The results of the cutting tests are shown in Table 15.

TABLE-US-00015 TABLE 15 Width of wear on the Results of the flank face cutting test (mm) (mm) Cutting Cutting Cutting Cutting Type condition 1 condition 2 Type condition 1 condition 2 Coated 16 0.17 0.19 Comparative 16 1.9* 1.5* tools of 17 0.19 0.18 coated tools 17 2.4* 2.7* the 18 0.15 0.14 18 4.4* 4.1* present 19 0.20 0.19 19 1.7* 1.4* invention 20 0.18 0.18 20 2.6* 2.2* 21 0.16 0.14 21 3.6* 3.9* 22 0.12 0.10 22 3.8* 4.2* 23 0.17 0.16 23 2.8* 3.1* 24 0.15 0.14 24 3.0* 2.5* 25 0.11 0.10 25 2.3* 2.0* 26 0.14 0.15 26 4.1* 3.8* 27 0.15 0.16 27 4.8* 4.5* 28 0.16 0.16 28 3.7* 3.3* 29 0.18 0.19 29 2.5* 2.1* 30 0.14 0.13 30 3.4* 3.2* Asterisk marks (*) in the column of the comparative coated tools indicate the cutting time (min) until they reached to their service lives due to occurrence of chipping.

Example 3

[0153] The tool bodies 2A and 2B were produced by the process explained below. First, as raw material powders, the cBN powder, the TiN powder, the TiCN powder, the TiC powder, the Al powder, and Al.sub.2O.sub.3 powder, all of which had the average grain sizes of 0.5-4 μm, were prepared. These raw material powders were blended in the blending composition shown in Table 16. Then, the mixtures were wet-mixed for 80 hours with a ball mill. After drying, the mixtures were press-molded into green compacts with a dimension of: diameter of 50 mm; and thickness of 1.5 mm, under pressure of 120 MPa. Then, the obtained green compacts were sintered in vacuum in the condition of 1 Pa vacuum at the predetermined temperature in the range of 900-1300° C. for 60 minutes retention to obtain preliminary sintered bodies for the cutting edge pieces. The obtained preliminary sintered bodies were placed on separately prepared supporting pieces made of WC-based cemented carbide, which had the composition of: 8 mass % of Co; and the WC balance, and the dimension of: diameter of 50 mm; and thickness of 2 mm They were inserted into a standard ultra-high pressure sintering apparatus in the stacked state. Then, they were subjected to ultra-high-pressure sintering in the standard condition of: 4 GPa of pressure; a predetermined temperature within the range of 1200-1400° C.; and 0.8 hour of the retention time. Then, the top and bottom surfaces of the sintered bodies were grinded by using a diamond grind tool. Then, they were divided into a predetermined dimension with a wire-electrical discharge machine. Then, they were brazed on the brazing portion (corner portion) of the insert main tool body made of WC-based cemented carbide, which had the composition of: 5 mass % of Co; 5 mass % of TaC; and the WC balance, and the shape defined by ISO CNGA120412 standard (the diamond shape of: thickness of 4.76 mm; and inscribed circle diameter of 12.7 mm) by using the brazing material made of Ti—Zr—Cu alloy having composition made of: 37.5% of Zr; 25% of Cu; and the Ti balance in volume %. Then, after performing outer peripheral machining into a predetermined dimension, the cutting edges of the brazed parts were subjected to a honing work of: width of 0.13 mm; and angle of 25°. Then, by performing the final polishing on them, the tool bodies 2A and 2B with the insert shape defined by ISO CNGA120412 standard were produced.

TABLE-US-00016 TABLE 16 Blending composition (mass %) Type TiN TiC Al Al.sub.2O.sub.3 cBN Tool body 2A 50 — 5 3 balance 2B — 50 4 3 balance

[0154] Next, the coated tools of the present invention 31-40 indicated in Tables 18 were deposited the hard coating layer including at least the (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z) layer related to the present invention on the surfaces of the tool bodies 2A and 2B in the intended layer thicknesses using a chemical vapor deposition apparatus in the conditions indicated in Table 4 as in the same method as Example 1.

[0155] In regard to the coated tools of the present invention 34-39, the lower layer and/or the upper layer shown in Table 17 were formed in the formation condition shown in Table 3.

[0156] For comparison purposes, the comparative coated tools 31-40 indicated in Table 19 were deposited the hard coating layer including at least the (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z) layer on the surface of the tool bodies 2A and 2B in intended thicknesses using a chemical vapor deposition apparatus in the conditions indicated in Table 5.

[0157] As in the coated tools of the present invention 34-39, the lower layer and/or the upper layer shown in Table 17 were formed in the formation conditions shown in Table 3 in the comparative coated tools 34-39.

[0158] Cross sections of each constituent layer of the coated tools of the present invention 31-40; and the comparative coated tools 31-40, were subjected to measurement by using a scanning electron microscope (magnification: 5,000 times), and the layer thicknesses were obtained by averaging layer thicknesses measured at 5 points within the observation viewing field. In any measurement, the obtained layer thickness was practically the same as the intended total layer thicknesses shown in Tables 18 and 19.

[0159] In regard to the hard coating layer of the coated tools of the present invention 31-40; and the comparative coated tools 31-40, the average layer thicknesses; the average Al content ratio X.sub.avg; the average Me content ratio Y.sub.avg; the average C content ratio Z.sub.avg; the inclined angle frequency distribution; the difference Δx of the periodical concentration change (=X.sub.max−X.sub.min) and the period; the lattice constant “a”; the average grain width W and the average aspect ratio A of the crystal grains; and the area ratio occupied by the cubic crystal phase in the crystal grains, were obtained as in the method indicated in Example 1.

[0160] The measurement results are shown in Tables 18 and 19.

TABLE-US-00017 TABLE 17 Upper layer (The number at the bottom indicates Lower layer the (The number at the intended bottom indicates average the intended average layer Tool layer thickness thickness body (μm)) (μm)) Type symbol 1st layer 2nd layer 3rd layer 1st layer Coated 31 2A — — — — tools of 32 2B — — — — the 33 2A — — — — presenti 34 2B — — — TiN nvention (0.5) and 35 2A TiN — — — com- (0.5) parative 36 2B TiN — — — coated (0.3) tools 37 2A TiN TiCN — — (0.5) (1) 38 2B TiN TiCN TiN — (0.3) (2) (0.5) 39 2A — — — TiN (0.5) 40 2B — — — —

TABLE-US-00018 TABLE 18 Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Average value of the period of the Formation Sum of Inclined angles concentration symbol in the frequencies distribution change of Ti, the average Inclined Al and Me TiAlMeCN Average Average content angle Difference along the deposition Al Me ratios of Average C section in Frequency Δx normal line of Tool Kind process content content Al and content which the ratio between the surface of body of (refer Table ratio ratio Me ratio highest of 0-12° X.sub.max and the body Type symbol Me 4) X.sub.avg Y.sub.avg X.sub.avg + Y.sub.avg Z.sub.avg peak exists (%) X.sub.min (nm) Coated 31 2A Si Si-A 0.81 0.036 0.846 0.0001 5.5-5.75 58 0.12 28 tools of or less the 32 2B Si Si-C 0.62 0.015 0.635 0.0024 0.75-1.0  76 0.05 24 present 33 2A Zr Zr-A 0.93 0.008 0.938 0.0045 10.0-10.25 38 0.20 72 invention 34 2B Zr Zr-C 0.80 0.054 0.854 0.0001 5.0-5.25 52 0.07 58 or less 35 2A B B-A 0.65 0.032 0.682 0.0018 0.5-0.75 77 0.11 10 36 2B B B-B 0.90 0.027 0.927 0.0001 10.0-10.25 43 0.17 31 or less 37 2A V V-B 0.83 0.039 0.869 0.0001 8.0-8.25 52 0.14 40 or less 38 2B V V-C 0.76 0.050 0.810 0.0001 4.5-4.75 64 0.18 5 or less 39 2A Cr Cr-B 0.68 0.022 0.702 0.0001 2.5-2.75 70 0.03 65 or less 40 2B Cr Cr-C 0.90 0.021 0.921 0.0043 9.0-9.25 58 0.18 25 Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Presence or absence of the region, the orientation of the Average value concentration of the period period of Variation of the which is Period width of concentration perpendicular width in ΔXodA Area change of Ti, and the the and ratio Al and Me boundary of region ΔXodB of the along the Variation the regions A and in the Average cubic Intended orientation width corresponds to the region A Lattice grain Average crystal layer <001> indicated the {110} region and the constant a width W aspect phase thickness Type (nm) by ΔXo plane B (nm) region B (Å) (μm) ratio A (%) (μm) Coated 31 29 0.01 or present region ΔXodA: 4.075 1.4 1.4 86 2 tools of less A: 0.02 the 28 nm ΔXodB: present region 0.02 invention B: 30 nm 32 25 0.01 or present region ΔXodA: 4.116 0.7 2.8 100 2 less A: 0.01 or 25 nm less region ΔXodB: B: 24 nm 0.01 or less 33 — — absent — — 4.063 2.5 1.2 71 3 34 53 0.01 or absent — — 4.091 0.5 1.9 73 1 less 35 8 0.04 present region ΔXodA: 4.106 1.7 1.7 91 3 A: 8 nm 0.01 or region less B: 8 nm ΔXodB: 0.01 or less 36 27 0.02 absent — — 4.060 1.5 1.3 66 2 37 — — absent — — 4.082 0.8 1.2 84 1 38 3 0.01 or present region ΔXodA: 4.099 0.06 32.8 89 2 less A: 3 nm 0.04 region ΔXodB: B: 3 nm 0.06 39 61 0.01 or absent — — 4.114 1.1 2.7 100 3 less 40 24 0.03 present region ΔXodA: 4.091 2.7 0.7 76 2 A: 0.01 or 23 nm less region ΔXodB: B: 24 nm 0.01 or less

TABLE-US-00019 TABLE 19 Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Average value of the period of the Formation Sum of Inclined angles concentration symbol in the frequencies distribution change of Ti, the average Inclined Al and Me TiAlMeCN Average Average content Average angle Difference along the deposition Al Me ratios of C section in Frequency Δx normal line of Tool Kind process content content Al and content which the ratio between the surface of body of (refer Table ratio ratio Me ratio highest of 0-12° X.sub.max and the body Type symbol Me 4) X.sub.avg Y.sub.avg X.sub.avg + Y.sub.avg Z.sub.avg peak exists (%) X.sub.min (nm) Comparative 31 2A Si Si-a 0.99 0.007 0.997* 0.0001  26.0-26.25* 17* — — coated tools or less 32 2B Si Si-b 0.82 0.163* 0.983* 0.0040  25.5-25.75* 12* — — 33 2A Zr Zr-a 0.97 0.004* 0.974* 0.0001 31.75-32.0*  9* — — or less 34 2B Zr Zr-b 0.76 0.181* 0.941 0.0018 7.25-7.5  37  — — 35 2A B B-b 0.95 0.009 0.959* 0.0094* 20.25-20.5* 20* — — 36 2B B B-c 0.93 0.010 0.940 0.0001  24.5-24.75* 14* — — or less 37 2A V V-b 0.81 0.111* 0.921 0.0001  21.0-21.25* 13* — — or less 38 2B V V-c 0.78 0.152* 0.932 0.0078* 5.25-5.5  40  — — 39 2A Cr Cr-a 0.80 0.052 0.852 0.0001 29.75-30.0*  5* — — or less 40 2B Cr Cr-c 0.54* 0.146* 0.686 0.0001  10.5-10.75 45  — — or less2 Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Presence or absence of the region, the orientation of the Average value concentration of the period period of Variation of the which is Period width of concentration perpendicular width ΔXodA Area change of Ti, and the in the and ratio Al and Me boundary of region ΔXodB of the along the Variation the regions A and in the Average cubic Intended orientation width corresponds to the region A Lattice grain Average crystal layer <001> indicated the {110} region B and the constant a width W aspect phase thickness Type (nm) by ΔXo plane (nm) region B (Å) (μm) ratio A (%) (μm) Comparative 31 — — absent — — 4.044 0.04 1.2 1 2 coated tools 32 — — absent — — 4.063 0.3 1.1 34 2 33 — — absent — — 4.053 0.08 1.0 15 3 34 — — absent — — 4.113 0.02 1.2 6 1 35 — — absent — — 4.052 1.0 0.8 27 3 36 — — absent — — 4.055 0.4 1.8 40 2 37 — — absent — — 4.089 0.7 1.3 63 1 38 — — absent — — 4.100 2.3 0.8 70 2 39 — — absent — — 4.091 0.06 0.8 45 3 40 — — absent — — 4.148 1.1 1.9 61 2

[0161] Asterisk marks (*) in the columns indicate the values are out of the scope of the present invention.

[0162] Next, each coated tool was screwed on the tip of the insert holder made of tool steel by a fixing jig. Then, the dry high speed intermittent cutting test of carbolized steel explained below were performed on the coated tools of the present invention 31-40; and the comparative coated tools 31-40. After the tests, width of flank wear of the cutting edge was measured.

[0163] Cutting test: Dry high-speed intermittent cutting of a carbolized steel

[0164] Work: Round bar with 4 longitudinal grooves formed at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction of JIS SCr420 (hardness: HRC62)

[0165] Cutting speed: 255 m/min

[0166] Depth of cut: 0.1 mm

[0167] Feed rate: 0.1 mm/rev.

[0168] Cutting time: 4 minutes

[0169] Results of the cutting test are shown in Table 20.

TABLE-US-00020 TABLE 20 Results Width of wear of the on the flank cutting Type face (mm) Type test (min) Coated tools of the 31 0.11 Comparative 31 1.7* present invention 32 0.09 coated tools 32 2.2* 33 0.13 33 1.5* 34 0.10 34 2.9* 35 0.08 35 1.8* 36 0.11 36 2.0* 37 0.09 37 2.9* 38 0.12 38 3.3* 39 0.11 39 2.8* 40 0.07 40 3.1* Asterisk marks (*) in the column of the comparative coated tools indicate the cutting time (min) until they reached to their service lives due to occurrence of chipping.

Example 4

[0170] As in Example 1, the tool bodies A to C made of WC-based cemented carbide were deposited by the process in which, as raw material powders, the WC powder, the TiC powder, the TaC powder, the NbC powder, the Cr.sub.3C.sub.2 powder, and Co powder, all of which had the average grain sizes of 1-3 μm, were prepared. These raw material powders were blended in the blending composition shown in Table 1. Then, the mixtures were subjected ball mill mixing for 24 hours in acetone after adding wax. After vacuum drying, the mixtures were press-molded into green compacts in the predetermined shape at the pressure of 98 MPa. Then, the obtained green compacts were sintered in vacuum in the condition of 5 Pa vacuum at the predetermined temperature in the range of 1370° C.-1470° C. for retention time of 1 hour. After sintering, the tool bodies A to C made of WC-based cemented carbide with the insert shape defined by ISO SEEN1203AFSN standard were produced.

[0171] Next, as in Example 1, the coated tools of the present invention 41-55 were produced by depositing the (Ti.sub.1-x-yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1-z) layer shown in Table 23 on the surfaces of the tool bodies A to C by performing a thermal CVD method for a predetermined time in the formation condition shown in Table 4 with a chemical vapor deposition apparatus.

[0172] In regard to the coated tools of the present invention 45-52, the lower layer and/or the upper layer shown in Table 22 were formed in the formation condition shown in Table 3.

[0173] For comparison purposes, the comparative coated tools 41-55 indicated in Table 24 were deposited the hard coating layer on the surfaces of the tool bodies A to C too as in the coated tools of the present invention by using a chemical vapor deposition apparatus in the condition shown in Table 21 and in the intended layer thickness shown in Table 24.

[0174] As in the coated tools of the present invention 45-52, the lower layer and/or the upper layer shown in Table 22 were formed in the formation conditions shown in Table 3 in the comparative coated tools 45-52.

[0175] Cross sections of each constituent layer of the coated tools of the present invention 41-55; and the comparative coated tools 41-55, were subjected to measurement by using a scanning electron microscope (magnification: 5,000 times), and the layer thicknesses were obtained by averaging layer thicknesses measured at 5 points within the observation viewing field. In any measurement, the obtained layer thickness was practically the same as the intended total layer thicknesses shown in Tables 23 and 24.

[0176] In regard to the hard coating layer of the coated tools of the present invention 41-40; and the comparative coated tools 41-40, the average Al content ratio X.sub.avg; the average Me content ratio Y.sub.avg; the average C content ratio Z.sub.avg; the inclined angle frequency distribution; the difference Δx of the periodical concentration change (=X.sub.max−X.sub.min) and the period; the lattice constant “a”; the average grain width W and the average aspect ratio A of the crystal grains; and the area ratio occupied by the cubic crystal phase in the crystal grains, were obtained as in the method indicated in Example 1.

[0177] The measurement results are shown in Tables 23 and 24.

TABLE-US-00021 TABLE 21 Formation condition (the composition of the reaction gas indicates the ratio relative to the sum of the gas group A and the gas group B. Units of pressure and temperature of the reaction atmosphere are kPa and ° C., respectively) Phase difference Formation of of the hard Gas group A Gas group B supplying coating layer Composition of Supply Supply the gas Reaction Form- the reaction gas Supply time per Supply time per groups A atmosphere Process ation group period a period Composition of the reaction period a period and B Pres- Temper- type symbol A (volume %) (second) (second) gas group B (volume %) (second) (second) (second) sure ature Deposition Si-d NH.sub.3: 1.3%, N.sub.2: 4 0.20 AlCl.sub.3: 0.7%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 4 0.20 0.15 5.0 950 process 10%, H.sub.2: 57%, SiCl.sub.4: 0.4%, N.sub.2: 4%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Si-e NH.sub.3: 1.0%, N.sub.2: 3 0.15 AlCl.sub.3: 0.4%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 3 0.15 0.15 4.0 800 2%, H.sub.2: 65%, SiCl.sub.4: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 0%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Si-f NH.sub.3: 1.5%, N.sub.2: 8 0.40 AlCl.sub.3: 0.6%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, 8 0.40 0.35 4.7 850 0%, H.sub.2: 55%, SiCl.sub.4: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 9%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Zr-d NH.sub.3: 1.2%, N.sub.2: 1 0.15 AlCl.sub.3: 0.8%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 1 0.15 0.05 4.5 600 4%, H.sub.2: 50%, ZrCl.sub.4: 0.2%, N.sub.2: 3%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0.5%, balance H.sub.2 Zr-e NH.sub.3: 0.8%, N.sub.2: 1 0.10 AlCl.sub.3: 0.9%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, 1 0.10 0.05 4.5 750 0%, H.sub.2: 58%, ZrCl.sub.4: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 10%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Zr-f NH.sub.3: 1.3%, N.sub.2: 3 0.20 AlCl.sub.3: 0.6%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 3 0.20 0.15 6.0 900 8%, H.sub.2: 60%, ZrCl.sub.4: 0.05%, N.sub.2: 1%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 B-d NH.sub.3: 1.4%, N.sub.2: 10 0.50 AlCl.sub.3: 0.8%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, 10 0.50 0.40 4.7 800 3%, H.sub.2: 56%, BCl.sub.3: 0.2%, N.sub.2: 7%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0.2%, balance H.sub.2 B-e NH.sub.3: 1.8%, N.sub.2: 2 0.15 AlCl.sub.3: 0.7%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.2%, 2 0.15 0.10 5.0 700 1%, H.sub.2: 55%, BCl.sub.3: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 15%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 1.0%, balance H.sub.2 B-f NH.sub.3: 1.1%, N.sub.2: 4 0.25 AlCl.sub.3: 1.1%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.1%, 4 0.25 0.20 4.5 850 0%, H.sub.2: 59%, BCl.sub.3: 0.2%, N.sub.2: 6%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 V-d NH.sub.3: 1.5%, N.sub.2: 5 0.25 AlCl.sub.3: 0.7%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 5 0.25 0.20 3.5 800 5%, H.sub.2: 52%, VCl.sub.4: 0.04%, N.sub.2: 11%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 V-e NH.sub.3: 1.2%, N.sub.2: 1 0.10 AlCl.sub.3: 0.9%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 1 0.10 0.25 4.7 700 2%, H.sub.2: 59%, VCl.sub.4: 0.2%, N.sub.2: 8%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0.8%, balance H.sub.2 V-f NH.sub.3: 0.6%, N.sub.2: 2 0.15 AlCl.sub.3: 0.6%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 2 0.15 0.10 5.5 650 7%, H.sub.2: 57%, VCl.sub.4: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 18%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Cr-d NH.sub.3: 2.0%, N.sub.2: 4 0.25 AlCl.sub.3: 0.8%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 4 0.25 0.30 4.5 800 3%, H.sub.2: 63%, CrCl.sub.2: 0.2%, N.sub.2: 0%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Cr-e NH.sub.3: 1.4%, N.sub.2: 3 0.20 AlCl.sub.3: 0.6%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.5%, 3 0.20 0.15 5.0 950 4%, H.sub.2: 58%, CrCl.sub.2: 0.1%, N.sub.2: 2%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2 Cr-f NH.sub.3: 1.0%, N.sub.2: 7 0.35 AlCl.sub.3: 0.7%, TiCl.sub.4: 0.3%, 7 0.35 0.20 4.5 750 0%, H.sub.2: 56%, CrCl.sub.2: 0.3%, N.sub.2: 3%, Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3: 0%, balance H.sub.2

TABLE-US-00022 TABLE 22 Hard coating layer (The number at the bottom indicates the intended average layer thickness (μm)) Lower layer Upper layer Type 1st layer 2nd layer 1st layer 2nd layer Coated tools 41 — — — — of the present 42 — — — — invention and 43 — — — — comparative 44 — — — — coated tools 45 TiC — — — (0.5) 46 TiN — — — (0.5) 47 TiN TiCN — — (0.3) (1) 48 TiN TiCN — — (0.3) (2) 49 — — TiCN Al.sub.2O.sub.3 (0.3) (1) 50 TiN TiCN TiCN Al.sub.2O.sub.3 (0.3) (1) (0.5) (2) 51 TiC — TiCO Al.sub.2O.sub.3 (0.5) (0.3) (2) 52 TiN TiCN TiCNO Al.sub.2O.sub.3 (0.5) (1) (0.3) (1) 53 — — — — 54 — — — — 55 — — — —

TABLE-US-00023 TABLE 23 Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Average value of the period of the Formation Sum of Inclined angles frequencies concentration symbol in the distribution change of Ti, the average Inclined Al and Me TiAlMeCN Average Average content angle Difference along the deposition Al Me ratios of Average C section in Δx normal line of Tool Kind process content content Al and content which the Frequency between the surface of body of (refer Table ratio ratio Me ratio highest peak ratio of X.sub.max and the body Type symbol Me 4) X.sub.avg Y.sub.avg X.sub.avg + Y.sub.avg Z.sub.avg exists 0-12° (%) X.sub.min (nm) Coated 41 A Si Si-A 0.85 0.092 0.942 0.0001 3.25-3.5 63 0.18 31 tools of or less the 42 B Si Si-B 0.75 0.009 0.759 0.0001 2.75-3.0 64 0.10 68 present or less inven- 43 C Si Si-C 0.61 0.024 0.634 0.0045  0.5-0.75 74 0.03 45 tion 44 A Zr Zr-A 0.71 0.018 0.728 0.0023  6.0-6.25 49 0.07 33 45 B Zr Zr-B 0.88 0.063 0.943 0.0001 7.25-7.5 49 0.16 88 or less 46 C Zr Zr-C 0.93 0.014 0.944 0.0001  9.0-9.25 42 0.20 65 or less 47 A B B-A 0.68 0.024 0.704 0.0033 0.75-1.0 76 0.07 12 48 B B B-B 0.81 0.028 0.838 0.0001  5.5-5.75 58 0.10 44 or less 49 C B B-C 0.77 0.057 0.827 0.0001 6.25-6.5 47 0.13 98 or less 50 A V V-A 0.80 0.064 0.864 0.0001  4.5-4.75 57 0.11 52 or less 51 B V V-B 0.73 0.024 0.754 0.0048  3.0-3.25 62 0.08 60 52 C V V-C 0.85 0.072 0.922 0.0001  11.0-11.25 39 0.23 40 or less 53 A Cr Cr-A 0.82 0.031 0.851 0.0001 6.75-7.0 46 0.15 28 or less 54 B Cr Cr-B 0.78 0.071 0.851 0.0001 7.75-8.0 45 0.06 89 or less 55 C Cr Cr-C 0.89 0.018 0.908 0.0014  8.5-8.75 43 0.19 6 Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Presence or absence of the region, the Average value orientation of of the period the Variation of the concentration Period width of concentration period of which width ΔXodA Area change of Ti, is perpendicular in the and ratio Al and Me and the region ΔXodB of the along the Variation boundary of the A and in the Average cubic Intended orientation width regions the region A Lattice grain Average crystal layer <001> indicated corresponds to region and the constant a width W aspect phase thickness Type (nm) by ΔXo the {110} plane B (nm) region B (Å) (μm) ratio A (%) (μm) Coated 41 — — absent — — 4.062 1.2 4.8 62 6 tools of the 42 65 0.01 or absent — — 4.088 0.8 3.7 83 3 present less invention 43 44 0.01 or present dA: 42 ΔXodA: 4.114 0.3 11.8 99 4 less dB: 41 0.01 or less ΔXodB: 0.01 or less 44 30 0.01 or absent — — 4.106 0.5 7.7 92 5 less 45 85 0.05 present dA: 83 ΔXodA: 4.072 1.7 1.5 70 4 dB: 84 0.07 ΔXodB: 0.06 46 61 0.06 absent — — 4.063 2.0 1.2 79 5 47 10 0.01 or absent — — 4.101 0.2 16.9 100 5 less 48 41 0.02 present dA: 38 ΔXodA: 4.083 0.8 3.8 90 3 dB: 37 0.03 ΔXodB: 0.03 49 — — absent — — 4.079 1.4 2.8 85 4 50 46 0.03 present dA: 42 ΔXodA: 4.087 0.5 5.2 83 3 dB: 42 0.01 or less ΔXodB: 0.01 or less 51 56 0.01 or absent — — 4.100 0.5 5.8 94 3 less 52 — — absent — — 4.082 1.9 1.0 65 2 53 26 0.01 or present dA: 27 ΔXodA: 4.084 1.0 3.5 88 4 less dB: 26 0.01 or less ΔXodB: 0.01 or less 54 — — absent — — 4.093 0.4 8.9 81 5 55  4 0.04 present dA: 4 ΔXodA: 4.071 1.2 1.7 64 4 dB: 3 0.02 ΔXodB: 0.02

TABLE-US-00024 TABLE 24 Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Average value of the period of the Formation Sum of Inclined angles frequencies concentration symbol in the distribution change of Ti, the average Inclined Al and Me TiAlMeCN Average Average content angle Difference along the deposition Al Me ratios of Average C section in Δx normal line of Tool Kind process content content Al and content which the Frequency between the surface of body of (refer Table ratio ratio Me ratio highest peak ratio of X.sub.max and the body Type symbol Me 4) X.sub.avg Y.sub.avg X.sub.avg + Y.sub.avg Z.sub.avg exists 0-12° (%) X.sub.min (nm) Com- 41 A Si Si-d 0.67 0.157* 0.827 0.0001 4.5-4.75 51 0.13 85 para- or less tive 42 B Si Si-e 0.53* 0.062 0.592* 0.0001 1.25-1.5  73 0.10 21 coated or less tools 43 C Si Si-f 0.82 0.055 0.875 0.0001 9.0-9.25 43 0.27* 119 or less 44 A Zr Zr-d 0.74 0.086 0.826 0.0038 6.75-7.0  46 0.01* 1 45 B Zr Zr-e 0.94 0.008 0.948 0.0001  33.5-33.75*  14* 0.02* 3 or less 46 C Zr Zr-f 0.61 0.003* 0.613 0.0001 2.0-2.25 69 0.15 67 or less 47 A B B-d 0.88 0.096 0.976* 0.0013  15.0-15.25* 36 0.32* 133 48 B B B-e 0.84 0.049 0.889 0.0103* 27.75-28.0*   18* 0.06 15 49 C B B-f 0.97 0.029 0.999* 0.0001 —* —* —* — or less 50 A V V-d 0.69 0.002* 0.692 0.0001 10.5-10.75  31* 0.14 74 or less 51 B V V-e 0.79 0.073 0.863 0.0082* 3.5-3.75 58 0.02* 108 52 C V V-f 0.62 0.045 0.665 0.0001  31.0-31.25*  8* 0.07 11 or less 53 A Cr Cr-d 0.73 0.082 0.812 0.0001 24.75-25.0*   11* 0.28* 124 or less 54 B Cr Cr-e 0.51* 0.010 0.520* 0.0001 8.5-8.75 48 0.17 46 or less 55 C Cr Cr-f 0.65 0.122* 0.772 0.0001 1.75-2.0  68 0.29* 124 or less Hard coating layer TiAlMe Complex nitride or carbonitride layer (Ti.sub.1−x−yAl.sub.xMe.sub.y)(C.sub.zN.sub.1−z) Presence or absence of the region, the Average value orientation of of the period the Variation of the concentration Period width of concentration period of which width ΔXodA Area change of Ti, is perpendicular in the and ratio Al and Me and the region ΔXodB of the along the Variation boundary of the A and in the Average cubic Intended orientation width regions the region A Lattice grain Average crystal layer <001> indicated corresponds to region and the constant a width W aspect phase thickness Type (nm) by ΔXo the {110} plane B (nm) region B (Å) (μm) ratio A (%) (μm) Comparative 41 — — — — — 4.097 0.07 1.5 68 6 coated tools 42 23 0.01 or present dA: 18 ΔXodA: 4.129 0.5 5.7 100 3 less dB:20 0.01 or less ΔXodB: 0.01 or less 43 116  0.07 absent — — 4.071 1.3 3.0 82 4 44 — — — — — 4.105 1.6 1.1 76 5 45 — — — — — 4.060 0.4 1.3 59 4 46 69 0.03 absent — — 4.124 0.2 16.9  79 5 47 — — — — — 4.055 0.7 6.8 42 5 48 17 0.01 or absent — — 4.068 0.3 5.4 65 3 less 49 — — — — — — — — 0 4 50 73 0.04 absent — — 4.107 0.08 1.7 100 3 51 101  0.01 or present dA: ΔXodA: 4.091 0.4 3.5 85 3 less 105 0.01 or dB: less 103 ΔXodB: 0.01 or less 52 — — — — — 4.123 2.5 0.7 50 2 53 128  0.07 absent — — 4.105 0.9 4.2 93 4 54 45 0.01 or absent — — 4.146 0.05 1.4 96 5 less 55 121  0.06 present dA: ΔXodA: 4.127 1.1 3.4 88 4 124 0.05 dB: ΔXodB: 127 0.07 Note 1: Asterisk marks (*) in the columns show they are out of the range corresponding to the scope of the present invention. Note 2: Comparative Example 49 is made of only hexagonal crystal grains and cubic crystal grains were not observed.

[0178] Next, each coated tool was clamped on the tip of the cutter made of tool steel with the cutter diameter of 125 mm by a fixing jig. Then, center cut cutting test in high speed wet face milling, which is one of high speed intermittent cutting of carbolized steel, was performed on the coated tools of the present invention 41-55; and the comparative coated tools 41-55 in the condition described below. After the tests, width of flank wear of the cutting edge was measured.

[0179] Tool body: Tungsten carbide-based cemented carbide

[0180] Cutting test: Center cut cutting test in high speed wet face milling

[0181] Work: Block material with a width of 100 mm and a length of 400 mm of JIS-S55C

[0182] Rotation speed: 891 min.sup.−1

[0183] Cutting speed: 350 m/min

[0184] Depth of cut: 2.0 mm

[0185] Feed rate per a teeth: 0.2 mm/teeth.

[0186] Coolant: Applied

[0187] Cutting time: 5 minutes

[0188] Results of the cutting test are shown in Table 25.

TABLE-US-00025 TABLE 25 Results Width of wear of the on the flank cutting Type face (mm) Type test (min) Coated tools of the 41 0.15 Comparative 41 4.0* present invention 42 0.18 coated tools 42 3.8* 43 0.19 43 4.5* 44 0.18 44 4.7* 45 0.14 45 2.8* 46 0.12 46 4.3* 47 0.17 47 2.1* 48 0.16 48 2.4* 49 0.13 49 1.6* 50 0.10 50 3.6* 51 0.16 51 3.1* 52 0.11 52 2.9* 53 0.12 53 2.3* 54 0.18 54 3.2* 55 0.13 55 2.6* Asterisk marks (*) in the column of the comparative coated tools indicate the cutting time (min) until they reached their service lives due to occurrence of chipping.

[0189] Based on the results shown in Tables 9, 15, 20 and 25, it was demonstrated that hardness was improved due to the strain in the crystal grains and toughness was improved too while keeping a high wear resistance in the coated tool of the present invention by: the cubic crystal grain showing the {111} plane orientation in the hard coating layer including at least the cubic crystal grain of the Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layer; the crystal grains being in the columnar structure; and the concentration change of Ti, Al and Me existing in the crystal grains. In addition, the surface coated cutting tools of the present invention showed an excellent chipping resistance and an excellent fracture resistance even if they were used in high speed intermittent cutting. It is clear that they exhibited an excellent wear resistance for a long-term usage because of these.

[0190] Contrary to that, it was clear that comparative coated tools reached to their service lives in a short period of time due to occurrence of chipping, fracture, or the like when they were used in the high speed intermittent cutting in which intermittent and impacting high load exerts on the cutting edge, since the technical features defined in the scope of the present invention were not satisfied in their hard coating layers including the cubic crystal grain of Ti, Al and Me complex nitride or carbonitride layers constituting the hard coating layers.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0191] The coated tool of the present invention can be utilized in high speed intermittent cutting of a wide variety of works as well as of alloy steel as described above. Furthermore, the coated tool of the present invention exhibits an excellent chipping resistance and an excellent wear resistance for a long-term usage. Thus, the coated tool of the present invention can be sufficiently adapted to high-performance cutting apparatuses; and labor-saving, energy-saving, and cost-saving of cutting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0192] 1: Hard coating layer [0193] 2: Complex nitride or carbonitride layer made of Ti, Al and Me [0194] 3: Tool body [0195] 4: Surface of the body (polished face of the surface of the tool body) [0196] 5: Normal line of the surface of the body (polished face of the surface of the tool [0197] body) [0198] 6: Normal line of the {111} plane [0199] 7: Inclined angle of the {111} plane: 0° [0200] 8: Inclined angle of the {111} plane: 45° [0201] 9: Region in which Al content amount is relatively high [0202] 10: Region in which Al content amount is relatively low [0203] 11a: Local maximum 1 [0204] 11b: Local maximum 2 [0205] 11c: Local maximum 3 [0206] 12a: Local minimum 1 [0207] 12b: Local minimum 2 [0208] 12c: Local minimum 3 [0209] 12d: Local minimum 4 [0210] 13: Region A [0211] 14: Region B [0212] 15: Boundary of the region A and the region B