Patent attributes
A low-friction sliding member is used under a wet condition employing a lubricant, and includes a substrate having a surface, and an amorphous hard carbon film formed on the surface of the substrate for contacting slidably with a mating member. The amorphous hard carbon film includes silicon in an amount of from 1 atomic % or more to 20 atomic % or less, hydrogen in an amount of from 20 atomic % or more to 50 atomic % or less, and the balance of carbon and inevitable impurities, when the entirety is taken as 100 atomic %, and exhibits a surface roughness Rzjis of 0.8 μm or less. The low-friction sliding member exhibits reduced friction coefficients between itself and mating members, without relying on the adsorption and reaction of additives, included in lubricants, to the amorphous hard carbon films.