Advantages of Schottky barrier diode | disadvantages of Schottky barrier diode

This page covers advantages and disadvantages of Schottky barrier diode. It mentions Schottky barrier diode advantages or benefits and Schottky barrier diode disadvantages or drawbacks. It also describes Schottky diode basics.

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What is Schottky barrier diode?

Introduction:
&#; They are made with N-type silicon on which thin layer of metal is deposited. Here semiconductor forms cathode and metal forms anode. Typically anode materials include nickel chromium and aluminium, although other metals such as gold are also used.
&#; They have ON-voltage of about 0.3V where as it is 0.7V for P-N junction diode.
&#; The figure-1 depicts schottky diode and its equivalent circuit. As shown it is made of thin silicon substrate by growing epitaxially on n-type active layer having 2 micron thick. A thin SiO2 layer is grown thermally over active layer. Metal semiconductor junction is formed by depositing metal over SiO2.

&#; When device is forward biased, major carriers can be easily injected from highly doped n-semiconductor material into metal.
&#; When device is reverse biased, barrier height becomes too high for electrons to cross and no conduction takes place.
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Benefits or advantages of Schottky barrier diode

Following are the benefits or advantages of Schottky barrier diode:
&#;These diodes are used in wide applications where other diodes are not suitable. Some of these applications are RF mixers, Detector diode, solar cell, voltage clamping devices etc.
&#;It offers low turn on voltage which is about 0.2 to 0.3 Volts.
&#;These diodes do not have recovery time when switching from conducting to non-conducting state and vice versa compare to P-N junction diodes.
&#;It offers fast recovery time. This means small amount of stored charge can be used for high speed switching applications.
&#;It offers low junction capacitance. It occupies very small area after the result obtained from wire point contact of silicon.
&#;It can operate at high frequencies compare to PN junction diode. They are used as fast switches at microwave frequencies.
&#;I0 of schottky diode is much larger compare to PN junction diode which depends on fB.

Drawbacks or disadvantages of Schottky barrier diode

Following are the disadvantages of Schottky barrier diode:
&#;They operate at low voltages (about 50V) compare to P-N junction diodes. These diodes can not withstand much higher reverse voltage without break down. As a result it conducts large amount of current.
&#;The schottky diode has relatively higher reverse current.

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Schottky diodes are a type of diode that have a metal-semiconductor junction instead of a p-n junction. This means that they have a lower voltage drop across them when they are forward biased, typically around 0.2 to 0.4 volts. This reduces power loss and improves efficiency. Schottky diodes also have a faster switching speed and a lower reverse leakage current than conventional diodes.

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Schottky diodes are suitable for applications that require high-speed switching, low forward voltage drop, and high frequency operation. For example, they are often used in power supplies, radio frequency circuits, logic circuits, solar cells, and detectors. Schottky diodes can also be used as clamping diodes, flyback diodes, or freewheeling diodes to protect other components from voltage spikes.

Schottky diodes are not perfect. They have some drawbacks that limit their performance and reliability. One of the main limitations is their low reverse breakdown voltage, which means that they can be easily damaged by high reverse voltages. Therefore, they are not suitable for high-voltage applications or circuits that need high reverse blocking capability. Another limitation is their high reverse leakage current, which increases with temperature and reduces their efficiency. Furthermore, Schottky diodes are more sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD) and radiation than conventional diodes, which can affect their stability and lifespan.

In section 1 it is stated that Schottky diodes also have a faster switching speed and a lower reverse leakage current than conventional diodes. This is contradicted in section 3 by Another limitation is their high reverse leakage current, ... pls resolve

The choice between Schottky diodes and conventional diodes depends on the design requirements and trade-offs of the circuit. You need to consider factors such as voltage, current, frequency, power, temperature, noise, and cost. Generally, Schottky diodes are preferred when low forward voltage drop, high switching speed, and high frequency operation are important. However, conventional diodes are better when high reverse breakdown voltage, low reverse leakage current, and high reliability are essential.

To compare and select the appropriate diodes for your circuit, you need to read and understand the datasheets of Schottky diodes and conventional diodes. The datasheets provide the specifications and characteristics of the diodes, such as forward voltage, reverse current, switching speed, capacitance, breakdown voltage, power dissipation, and package type. You should pay attention to the test conditions and the graphs that show the variation of the parameters with temperature, frequency, and current. You should also look for the ratings and limits of the diodes, such as maximum forward current, peak reverse voltage, junction temperature, and storage temperature.

To use Schottky diodes and conventional diodes in circuit analysis, you need to apply the basic principles and methods of diode analysis. You need to identify the state of the diode (on or off) based on the polarity and magnitude of the voltage across it. You need to use the appropriate model of the diode (ideal, piecewise-linear, or exponential) to calculate the current and voltage in the circuit. You need to check the validity of your assumptions and results by comparing them with the datasheet values and limits. You need to consider the effects of temperature, frequency, and power on the performance and behavior of the diode.

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