High Thermal Conductivity in Boron Arsenide: From Prediction to Reality.

Modern first-principles calculations predict that the thermal conductivity of boron arsenide is second only to that of diamond, the best thermal conductor, which may be of benefit for waste heat management in electronic devices. With the optimization of single-crystal growth methods, large-size and high-quality boron arsenide single crystals have been grown and thermal conductivity measurements have verified the related predictions. Benefiting from the increased size and improved qualities, additional properties have been characterized. Important factors related to boron arsenide, remaining challenges, and the future outlook are addressed in this minireview.