What is a freewheeling diode, its structure, principle, function, type, operating procedures, and development history 3

6、 Development history:

A freewheeling diode, also known as a Schottky diode, is a special type of diode with low turn-on voltage and high withstand voltage, commonly used in power circuits and power electronic devices. Its development process can be traced back to the 1920s.

The earliest freewheeling diode was the metal semiconductor contact diode invented by German physicist Wolfgang Schott in 1914. Subsequently, in 1941, scientist M.S. Fowler utilized semiconductor materials to fabricate large-area P-N contact diodes, pioneering the research direction of modern freewheeling diodes.

In the 1950s, with the rapid development of semiconductor technology, the field of power electronic devices began to receive more attention. In the 1960s, freewheeling diodes gradually became popular and applied in various circuits, and their structure and performance were gradually improved and optimized. In the 1980s, with the increasing demand for power semiconductor devices, the research on freewheeling diode entered a rapid development stage, and many new and high-performance freewheeling diode products emerged.

In recent years, with the continuous expansion of the application field of power semiconductor devices and the continuous progress of technology, freewheeling diode, as one of the important power electronic devices, are still being researched and improved to meet the requirements of higher power, higher frequency, and higher reliability. In fields such as power electronics, automotive electronics, and industrial control, freewheeling diodes will continue to play an important role.

I hope the above content can help you better understand freewheeling diodes and their related knowledge.