The strength of polycrystalline metallic films at high temperatures is limited by grain boundaries. Boundaries transverse to the film surfaces typically fail by decohesion, while boundaries parallel to the film surfaces are susceptible to sliding. In light of these facts, multilayer films are now being made that resemble stacks of columnar-grained thin films[l]. Nearly planar arrays of insoluble bubbles, called "bubble fences," maintain the integrity of the individual layers by pinning the interlayer boundaries. However, the transverse boundaries that delimit the columnar grains within an individual layer are able to move. Processing aims to produce a highly-overlapping microstructure that isolates the weak-link transverse boundaries and increases the material's time-to-failure. In potassium-doped tungsten this strategy is an extension of current lamp filament technology.

We have studied the mechanisms of grain growth within the grain layers in order to provide a basis for improving the synthesis and processing of these materials. For this type of grain growth to occur, the boundaries between grain layers must remain pinned by the bubble fences. Theory and 3D Evolver[2] simulations of a simple model provide a possible explanation for the depinning seen in recent experiments[3]. Reducing the ratio of intra-fence bubble separation to bubble diameter is predicted to eliminate the depinning. Ongoing study of a complete 3D model will further aid in tuning the synthesis and processing to create grain architectures with superior high-temperature properties.