What is LOW VF Schottky diode?
LOW VF Schottky diode is a semiconductor device with a lower forward voltage drop than ordinary Schottky diodes. It can be understood as an upgraded Schottky diode with better performance and lower voltage drop. Therefore, the lower the voltage drop of LOW VF Schottky diodes, the higher their efficiency. Therefore, the lower the voltage drop, the lower the heat generation, and the higher the operating efficiency of LOW VF Schottky diodes.
The advantage of LOW VF Schottky diode is that it can reduce the ineffective losses of the power supply and improve the conversion efficiency of the power supply. The function of a lowvf Schottky diode is the same as that of a traditional Schottky diode, with the difference being the VF value and trench process. LOW VF Schottky diode is a forward conducting device, and VF is a DC voltage drop, which is the loss generated during operation. The lower the loss, the better.
The structure and characteristics of LOW VF Schottky diodes make them suitable for high-frequency rectification in low voltage and high current output scenarios, detection and mixing of very high frequencies (such as X-band, C-band, S-band, and Ku band), and clamping in high-speed logic circuits. LOW VF Schottky diodes are also commonly used in integrated circuits, such as Schottky diodes. TTL integrated circuits have long been the mainstream of TTL circuits and widely used in high-speed computers.
The DC voltage of LOW VF Schottky diode decreases: because the height of the Schottky barrier is lower than that of the PN junction barrier, its forward conducting MOSFET and forward voltage drop are both lower than those of the PN junction diode (about 0.2V lower). LOW VF Schottky diodes have high operating frequencies: due to the small storage effect of minority carriers in Schottky diodes, their frequency response is only limited by the RC time constant, making them ideal devices for high-frequency fast switching. Its operating frequency can reach 100 gigahertz.
LOW VF Schottky diodes are used as rectifying diodes and small signal detection diodes in microwave communication circuits. It is commonly used in communication power supplies, frequency converters, etc. A typical application is in the switching circuit of bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), where a LOW VF Schottky diode is connected to the BJT clamp circuit, causing the transistor to be in a very off state when it is conducting, thereby improving the switching speed of the transistor. This method is applicable to TTL internal circuits of typical digital integrated circuits, such as 74LS, 74ALS, and 74AS.