What is a Schottky diode?

What is a Schottky diode?
Schottky diode is a kind of hot carrier diode. Schottky diode, also known as Schottky barrier diode, is a low-power, ultra-high-speed semiconductor device. Schottky diode is widely used in frequency converters, switching power supplies, drivers and other circuits. Schottky diodes are used as low-voltage, high-frequency, high-current rectifier diodes, protection diodes, continuous current diodes and so on. Schottky diodes are used as rectifier diodes and small signal detection diodes in microwave communication circuits. Schottky diode, also known as Schottky barrier diode (SBD), is a low-power, ultra-high-speed semiconductor device. The most remarkable feature of Schottky diode is that the reverse recovery time is very short, and the positive guide voltage drop is only about 0.4V. Schottky diodes are mostly used as rectifier diodes in high frequency, high current rectifier diodes, low voltage, continuous current diodes, protection diodes, small signal detection diodes, microwave communications and other circuits. Schottky diodes are common in communication power supply, frequency converter and so on. Schottky diodes are clamped by connecting diodes in the switching circuit of a bipolar transistor. So what does Schottky diodes do?
Advantages of Schottky diodes.
Schottky diodes have the advantages of high switching frequency and low forward voltage, but the reverse breakdown voltage of Schottky diodes is relatively low, generally no higher than 60V, and the highest is only about 100V, so that the application range of Schottky diodes is limited. Only fast recovery epitaxial diodes and ultra fast recovery diodes are used when high frequency rectifier diodes above 100V for transformer secondary use, power switching devices continuous current diodes in power factor correction circuits, high speed diodes between 600V~1.2kV in RCD buffer circuits, and 600V diodes for PFC boost are used. At present, Schottky diodes have made a breakthrough, 150V and 200V high voltage have been put on the market, and Schottky diodes made of new materials that exceed 1kV have also been successfully developed.
Characteristics of Schottky diodes.
Because the base barrier height of Schottky diodes is lower than that of PN junction, the forward guide threshold voltage and forward voltage drop of Schottky diodes are lower than that of PN junction diodes. Because Schottky diode is a multi-carrier conductive device, there are no problems such as minority carrier lifetime and reverse recovery. The reverse recovery time of Schottky diodes is only the charge and discharge time of Schottky barrier capacitors, which is completely different from that of PN junction diodes. Due to the low reverse recovery charge of Schottky diodes, Schottky diodes have extremely fast switching speed and low switching loss, so they are especially suitable for high frequency applications.
Application of Schottky Diode.
The structure and characteristics of Schottky diodes make them suitable for high frequency rectifier in low voltage and high current output, detection and mixing in high frequency, and Schottky diodes as clamps in high speed logic circuits. Schottky diodes are also commonly used in IC and are also widely used in high-speed computers. In addition to the characteristic parameters of ordinary PN junction diodes, the electrical parameters of Schottky diodes for detection and mixing also include intermediate frequency impedance, which refers to the impedance of Schottky diodes to a specified intermediate frequency when rated local oscillator power is applied. The above is the editor's specific introduction to Schottky diodes, hoping to give you some reference.