Rolling bearing, wheel support device, and wind power generation rotor shaft support device

A rolling bearing comprising:

• an inner ring having an inner ring raceway surface on an outer circumference;
• an outer ring having an outer ring raceway surface on an inner circumference;
• rolling elements that roll between the inner ring raceway surface and the outer ring raceway surface;
• a cage that retains the rolling elements, wherein the inner ring, the outer ring, the rolling elements, and the cage are formed of iron-based material;
• and
• a hard film comprising:
• a foundation layer formed directly on a surface of at least one bearing component selected from among the inner ring, the outer ring, the rolling element, and the cage;
• a mixed layer formed on the foundation layer and mainly formed of tungsten carbide and diamond-like carbon;
• and a surface layer formed on the mixed layer and mainly formed of diamond-like carbon, the hard film being configured to be brought into rolling contact and sliding contact with other bearing component,
• wherein:
• the indentation hardness of the surface layer measured by a method defined in ISO 14577 is 9-22 GPa;
• and
• the mixed layer has a composition in which a content rate of the tungsten carbide in the mixed layer is continuously or stepwise decreased and a content rate of diamond-like carbon in the mixed layer is continuously or stepwise increased from a side of the foundation layer toward a side of the surface layer.