Surface Composites Synthesized through the Incorporation of Atomic Layer Deposited AlO into Nanoporous Tungsten.

The incorporation of energetic helium gaseous species into materials such as tungsten (W) imparts intrinsic surface fragility, yielding tungsten. To enhance the robustness of the surface layers, aluminum oxide (AlO) was deposited by atomic layer deposition into the W. The conformally deposited ceramic yields a new class of surface composites.