What is a Schottky Diode?

What is a Schottky Diode?

Schottky Diode definition

The reverse recovery time is extremely short (can be as small as a few nanoseconds), the positive pilot voltage drop is only about 0.4V, and the rectification current can reach thousands of amps, which can be used as a switching diode and a low-voltage high-current rectifier diode.

Schottky Diode structure

It is formed by connecting doped semiconductor regions (usually N-type) with metals such as gold, platinum, titanium, etc. The formation is not a PN junction, but a metal-semiconductor junction.

Schottky Diode equivalent circuit

Schottky Diode main parameters

• Reverse voltage

• Forward current

• Forward voltage

• Leakage current

• Junction capacitance

• Recovery time

Schottky Diode advantages and disadvantages

Advantage

Low forward voltage, high speed switching, low noise, low power consumption

Shortcoming

The leakage current is large and the reverse voltage is low

Schottky diode selection

The type of Schottky diode to be selected should be determined according to the voltage VO, current IO, heat dissipation, load, installation requirements, and temperature rise required by the switching power supply.

Schottky diode applications

• Used to protect the voltage regulator circuit against the accidental application of reverse polarity at the input

• Provides a return path when the switch is off