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Experimental study of the proposed super-thermal-conductor - BAs

MetadataDetails
Publication Date2015-02-01
JournalDSpace@MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
AuthorsBing Lv, Yucheng Lan, Xiqu Wang, Qian Zhang, Allan J. Jacobson

Recent calculations predict a super-thermal-conductivity of ∼2000 Wm-1K-1, comparable to that of diamond, in cubic boron arsenide (BAs) crystals, which may offer inexpensive insulators with super-thermal-conductivity for microelectronic device applications. We have synthesized and characterized single crystals of BAs with a zinc blende cubic structure and lattice parameters of a = 4.7830(7) ƅ. A relatively high thermal conductivity of ∼200 Wm-1K-1is obtained, close to those of best non-carbon crystal insulators, such as SiC, although still an order of magnitude smaller than the value predicted. Based on our XPS, X-ray single crystal diffraction, and Raman scattering results, steps to achieve the predicted super-thermal conductivity in BAs are proposed.