Outstanding Thermal Conductivity of Single Atomic Layer Isotope-Modified Boron Nitride

Taking the heat out of electronic devices

23 December 2020

Atomically thin sheets of isotopically pure hexagonal boron nitride have been fabricated for the first time, paving the way for their use in managing heat in flexible electronic devices.

Dramatic temperature rises can occur at hot spots in highly integrated and miniaturized devices such as microprocessors and lasers. Eliminating this waste heat can enhance the performance and life of the devices.

While materials such as carbon nanotubes and graphene are excellent thermal conductors, they are also electrical conductors, making them unsuitable for direct contact with electronic devices because of the risk of short circuiting.

Now, a team that included five researchers from Deakin University in Australia has made single-atom layers of isotopically pure hexagonal boron nitride. These sheets had one of the highest thermal conductivities among electrical insulators. They also exhibited good mechanical flexibility and strength and are chemically and thermally stable, making them promising for heat management in flexible electronics.

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References

1. Physical Review Letters 125, 085902 (2020). doi: 10.1103/physrevlett.125.085902