Schottky diode

electronics

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July 13, 2026

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A Schottky diode is a type of semiconductor device named after German physicist Walter H. Schottky. It features a metal-semiconductor contact, such as aluminum on an n-type silicon substrate.12

Schottky diodes are electrically similar to p-n junction diodes, but their current flow is primarily due to majority carriers, resulting in a fast response. This makes them ideal for high-frequency, low-noise mixer and switching circuits. Unlike ohmic contacts, which have negligible resistance regardless of voltage polarity, Schottky diodes exhibit rectifying behavior due to a barrier layer at the metal-semiconductor interface.12

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semiconductor device
Schottky diode
Such a diode is one that has a metal-semiconductor contact (e.g., an aluminum layer in intimate contact with an n-type silicon substrate). It is named for the German physicist Walter H. Schottky, who in 1938 explained the rectifying behaviour of this kind of…
Read More
Such a diode is one that has a metal-semiconductor contact (e.g., an aluminum layer in intimate contact with an n-type silicon substrate). It is named for the German physicist Walter H. Schottky, who in 1938 explained the rectifying behaviour of this kind of…
Read More