Highly reproducible synthesis of boron arsenide with high thermal conductivity

Abstract

Cubic boron arsenide (BAs) is a subject of considerable interest in thermal science due to its exceptionally high thermal conductivity. However, the inherent long mean free path of phonons renders the thermal conductivity of BAs highly susceptible to impurity concentration. In this study, we present a catalyst assisted crystal synthesis approach to achieve high-quality cubic BAs, leveraging Pt as a catalyst in the synthesis process. Our thermal conductivity measurements reveal that over 90% of the samples in a batch exhibit thermal conductivity values exceeding 1000 W·m−1·K−1. The robustness of the synthesis method is further validated through thermal conductivity mapping and Raman spectroscopy. These findings offer valuable insights for enhancing the quality of BAs crystals and hold promise for practical applications.