TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The organic/inorganic hybrid gas barrier layer having compositionally gradient structure comprises an inorganic domain (4), an organic domain (2), and a gradient domain (3). The inorganic domain is a domain of the organic/inorganic hybrid gas barrier layer which is away from the base material, and from which carbon is not substantially detected. The organic domain is a domain of the organic/inorganic hybrid gas barrier layer which is near to the base material, and from which carbon is detected in a predetermined amount. The gradient domain is a domain of the organic/inorganic hybrid gas barrier layer that is interposed between the inorganic domain and the organic domain, and that has a carbon content gradually monotone-increasing in a thickness direction from the inorganic domain to the organic domain. The atomic number ratio of the other element to the silicon atom is 1:20-20:1. The refractive index of the organic/inorganic hybrid gas barrier layer having the compositionally gradient structure is 1.1-2.5 with respect to light having a wavelength of 632 nm at a temperature of 25 degrees C. The carbon content of the inorganic domain satisfies the equation as given in the specification. The surface hardness of the inorganic domain measured using a pencil hardness tester is 6H or higher. The other element comprises at least one of lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tellurium, rhenium, nickel, zinc, aluminum, gallium, indium, titanium, tin, boron, and phosphorus. The oxygen transmission rate of the gas barrier film is 10-1 to 10-3 cm3/m2/day at a temperature of 35 degrees C in a relative humidity of 0%. The oxide precursor of the other element is a precursor that forms a diatomic oxide of the other element and oxygen through a sol-gel reaction. (II) is mixed at a molar ratio of 1:10-10:1 with respect to (I). The amount of organosilane satisfies the equation as given in the specification. The organic/inorganic mixed solution further comprises water in such an amount that a ratio of a molar number of water to a total molar number of hydrolyzable functional groups of (I), (II), and the oxide precursor of the other element is 1:5-5:1. The molar number of the oxide precursor of the other element is 0.01-10 based on the total molar number of (I), and (II) in preparing the organic/inorganic mixed solution. The plasma comprising reactive gas is generated from a source gas including oxygen, nitrogen monoxide, nitrogen, ammonia, hydrogen and/or water vapor, and a mixture of the gas and inert gas. The organosilane compound is of formula (R1xSi(OR2)(4-x)) (III), and the silicate ester compound is of formula (Si(OR3)4) (IV).R1 = 1-20C-alkyl, 1-20C-fluoroalkyl, 6-20C-aryl, vinyl, acryl, methacryl or epoxy;R2 = 1-10C-alkyl, 1-10C-fluoroalkyl, 1-20C-alkyloxyalkyl, or 1-20C-fluoroalkyloxyalkyl;x = 1-3; andR3 = 1-10C-alkyl or 1-20C-alkyloxyalkyl.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The base material is polyethylene terephthalate, biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET), polyethersulfone, polycarbonate, polyimide, polyarylate, polyethylenenaphthalate, epoxy resin, unsaturated polyester, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), middle-density polyethylene (MDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP), oriented polypropylene (OPP), cast polypropylene (CPP), biaxially-oriented polyamide (BOPA), cycloolefin copolymer, fiber reinforced plastics, glass, metal, and/or their composite materials.