An unlikely material, cubic boron arsenide, could deliver a thermal conductivity high enough to compete with the costly industry standard currently set by diamond, according to a report in the latest issue of the journal Physical Review Letters. Known for its brilliance and use in jewelry, diamond is the best-known thermal conductor - a role that grows increasingly important as smaller, faster and more powerful microelectronic devices pose the challenge of removing the heat they generate quickly. However, besides being rare and expensive, high quality synthetic diamond is difficult and costly to produce, prompting researchers to search for new materials...