PURPOSE: To form a metallic vapor-deposited film resulting from an arc discharge on a substrate with good adhesion by applying a high-frequency etching as the pretreatment in the formation of an arc vapor-deposited film.

CONSTITUTION: An RF power source 7 is provided separately from a DC power source 6 for arc vapor deposition. A cathode 4 is firstly lowered, and an insertion hole 9A is closed by placing a partition member 11 at a first position. An RF voltage is impressed between an RF etching electrode 8 and a substrate 10 to be vapor-deposited on a holder 9 from the power source 7, and an inert gas is introduced to conduct RF etching. The power source 7 is then turned off, and the introduction of the inert gas is stopped. The partition member 11 is placed at a second position, and the cathode 4 is raised to a position 4A. A vacuum vessel 1 is then evacuated, a DC voltage is impressed from the power source 6 to conduct arc vapor deposition, and a metallic vapor-deposited film is formed on the substrate 10.