A hard
coating (30; 50; 60; 70; 80; 90) to be applied to the surface of a substrate (12) in such a way as to cover the surface of the substrate (12), wherein the hard
coating (30; 50; 60; 70; 80; 90) has a
total thickness (Ttotal) in the range of 0.5 - 20 µm and comprises three types of
layers (32, 38, 40; 34, 38, 42; 36, 40, 42) stacked alternately, wherein the three types of
layers (32, 38, 40; 34, 38, 42; 36, 40, 42) consist of a single-composition layer (32; 34; 36) and two types of nanolayer alternating
layers (38, 40; 38, 42; 40, 42) consist of the single composition layer (32; 34; 36) being formed by an A composition, a B composition and a C composition, and wherein the two types of nanolayer interlayers (38, 40; 38, 42;40, 42) nanolayers (32n, 34n, 36n) are contained, which are alternately layered on top of each other and which are formed by two of three combinations consisting of a combination of the A composition and the B composition, a combination of the A composition and the C composition and a combination of the B composition and the C composition, such that the nanolayers (32n, 34n; 32n, 36n) contained in one (38; 40) of the two types of nanolayer alternating layers (38, 40; 38, 42; 40, 42) are formed by one of the two of the three combinations and that the nanolayers (32n, 36n; 34n, 36n) contained in the other (40; 42) of the two types of nanolayer alternating layers (38, 40; 38, 42; 40, 42) are formed by one of the two of the three combinations 36n) are formed by the other of the two of the three combinations; the A composition is a
nitride which is given by the composition formula AlaCrnSic&agr;is represented where the atomic ratios a, b, c, d satisfy 0.30 ≤ a ≤ 0.80, 0.15 ≤ b ≤ 0.65, 0 ≤ c ≤ 0.45, 0 ≤ d ≤ 0.10 and a + b + c + d = 1, where Si and α are optional additional components and where the optional additional component α at least one type of element is selected from B, C, Ti, V, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W; the B composition is a
nitride represented by the composition formula CreBfSig&bgr;hre, where the atomic ratios e, f, g, h satisfy 0.40 ≤ e ≤ 0.95, 0.05 ≤ f ≤ 0.30, 0 ≤ g ≤ 0.45, 0 ≤ h ≤ 0.10 and e + f + g + h = 1, where Si and μ are optional additional components and where the optional additional component μ at least one type of element is selected from C, Al, Ti, V, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W; the C composition is a
nitride defined by the composition formula AliCrj(SiC)k&ggr;l is represented, wherein the atomic ratios i, j, k, l satisfy 0.20 ≤ i ≤ 0.85, 0.10 ≤ j ≤ 0.50, 0.03 ≤ k ≤ 0.45, 0 ≤ l ≤ 0.10 and i + j + k + l = 1 and wherein the optional additional component ↑ is at least one type of element selected from B, Ti, V, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W; the single composition layer (32; 34; 36) has a thickness (T1) in a range of 0.5 - 1000 nm; and each of the nanolayers (32n, 34n, 36n) that form the two types of nanolayer interlayers (38, 40; 38, 42; 40, 42) has a thickness in the range of 0.5 - 500 nm and each of the two types of nanolayer interlayers (38, 40; 38, 42; 40, 42) has a thickness (T2, T3) in the range of 1 - 1000 nm.