Schottky diodes
Unipolar and mixed power semiconductors (part 1)

Schottky diodes use the rectifying properties of the metal-semiconductor contacts of the same name. Unlike ohmic contacts, these are made with a choice of materials such that a depopulated space charge is established in the semiconductor, in the vicinity of the contact (cf. , § 2.2).

For power diodes, couples made of moderately doped N-type silicon (from a few 10 ¹⁴ to a few 10¹⁵ cm^-3 depending on the blocking voltage targeted) and metals or alloys with high work function (platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, platinum-nickel..) determine, after heat treatment (formation of silicides), a potential barrier whose height Φ_B, seen from the metal, is of the order of 0.7 to 0.9 V depending on the case. The corresponding diffusion voltageΦ...