What do you call a non-Schottky diode?

[T3sl4co1l]

I guess I wonder if MOS schottky techniques would do anything employed on Ge, or SiGe for that matter.  (On that note, there are some SiGe schottky out there, with incrementally better specs; SiGe is a fairly simple process as things go, AFAIK, so it's not as scary as it sounds.)  Mostly, or pure, Ge, the Eg is probably just too low to get reasonable temperature range, even with improvements like MOS.

Likewise SiC should be extendable into the some-kV range at good performance, good enough to still be limited by bulk resistivity; not that we'll see (or, frankly (or hopefully?!) need?) it in consumer-industrial applications, but distribution-level and high-power converter or generator applications can benefit.

Tim

[schmitt trigger]

...selenium, crystal...

I am old enough to have worked with Selenium rectifiers. When they let the magic smoke out, it was very nasty. They also had a significant forward voltage drop. If you replaced it with a silicon diode, the B+ voltage would increase. You had to add a series resistor to bring the voltage down.

[adx]

I remember reading an article online where a horse got 'excited' and got a bit rampant upon seeing the Queen in Victorian times (and stuff like that) and in this story it had blue LEDs on a Xmas tree back in the 1800s / 1900s (ah... the ole 1900s), which claimed to be a somewhat accurate account of well it was a bit fanciful. But I checked up on the blue LED thing and lo and behold yes invented (or made) in 1907, by poking at SiC with some wire. So I excitedly (not in the same way as the horse) got some coarse grit sandpaper, wire, and microscope and replicated said poking - much like this...

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SiC_LED_historic.jpg

It worked! Greeney or bluey light. Sometimes orange, so I had to rule out the usual reason for orange-emitting things (with smoke). The site was called something like strange science, have not been able to find it since. It was real, honest! (Or I believe it was, or at least believed I believe it was.)

Just checked, Infineon have got a 3.3kV SiC fet half bridge. 2.5mR. That's getting quite impressive. Imagine getting a greeney bluey orange light out of that.

I also fondly remember pulling selenium rectifiers out of old things. No way, still a current product!

[T3sl4co1l]

Oh yeah, on that note, I wonder if SiC BJTs light up at all -- and also GaN JFETs (the few that exist out there?), do they glow blue in that narrow band before excessive bias blows up the gate?

Tim

[Wallace Gasiewicz]

I really scared myself once.....I turned on a Kenwood TS 940 with the covers off and saw all the little diodes glowing. I thought I blew the whole thing but the diodes in that thing were meant to glow!     
Many diodes do glow and the package hides the effect and also shields the diode from light, which may cause changes.  Hence light sensitive diodes.

[jzx]

I once have seen a led in a glass package similar to the 1n4148. This was in a solar calculator and the diode was used as a zener. I checked with the dmm and then it iluminated.

[nfmax]

Electroluminescence was first reported in a SiC diode by H J Round - in 1907! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._J._Round

[Zenith]

Diode, optionally plus material.

Unless, that is, it is a Gunn, IMPATT, PIN, photo, tunnel, zener, noise, varactor, snap, MIM diode

Now, which types have I forgotten about

Backwards diodes.

[Circlotron]

Diode, optionally plus material.

Unless, that is, it is a Gunn, IMPATT, PIN, photo, tunnel, zener, noise, varactor, snap, MIM diode

Now, which types have I forgotten about

Shockley diode aka DIAC.

[madires]

Some more: stabistor, TVS and CLD

[MrAl]

To differentiate them from Schottkys? Rather than just call them "diode".

I've been know to call them "silicon" diodes which is as wrong as the above (or even wronger), I think from a shortening of "silicon junction" (which is probably correct, if long).

PN junction (or p-n junction or just PN) diode is convenient if a bit technical (I'd never call a a Schottky a "hot carrier" diode, unless in some RF field (as in, workplace) or back in the 70s). Wikipedia has p-n junction pointing to 'ordinary' diodes on its Schottky page.

Hi,

As to the title, "What do you call a non-Schottky diode?", the answer is in the question itself.

Call it a "non-Schottky diode"

[David Hess]

Shockley diode aka DIAC.

A Shockley diode is a 4 layer diode with asymmetrical breakdown.  A DIAC is constructed with 4 layers, but also has the implants which would be used for a TRIAC gate, but without the gate connections, making it a low voltage TRIAC without gate connections.

Two Shockley diodes in anti-series operate like a DIAC.

[Gyro]

Diode, optionally plus material.

Unless, that is, it is a Gunn, IMPATT, PIN, photo, tunnel, zener, noise, varactor, snap, MIM diode

Now, which types have I forgotten about

Backwards diodes.

Ali / ebay / Amazon diodes (there may be some overlap with backwards diodes here). 

[exe]

I think I see the point in differentiation like that. But I'd also say that "PN diode" doesn't tell me much. I differentiate diodes by forward voltage drop (at required current), reverse recovery time, maximum blocking voltage, power rating, leakage and capacitance. Silicon diode, or schottkey or "fast recovery" are too unspecific for me.

[madires]

And two more: selenium and vacuum tube

[adx]

I notice no one has yet fallen into the trap of "solar cell" (first thing I thought of, lucky I didn't say anything). I then wondered if anyone has ever made (or more likely purchased) a "wooden diode", in the style of cache RAM chips (eBay / backwards diode). Just Googled for "diode connected relay" which it seems no one has typed before in the past 30 years at least (magnetically polarised latching relay which doesn't turn off...).

On the subject of that SiC bridge going phooey in greeney bluey orange light (let's say 10kA fault current at 2kV)...
embed...
(Incidentally from the mate who set my carrier on fire, I was willing it not to go out all the way home - btw I don't remember it as some pyromaniacal escapade, it was more a 'safety feature' owing to no rear bike light now I think about it.)

(Looks like link to Shorts not working
https://youtube.com/shorts/aIphjOiaiIg
)

[Circlotron]

MOSFET body diode.

[vk6zgo]

Hello,

I would think "regular silicon diode" would be ok, but most often we have to qualify the type anyway because of the application it will be used in.
For example, you would not use a rectifier diode in a switching converter, and you would not use a high speed diode or zero recovery diode in a mains line rectifier.  That's because of the cost vs switching speed.  Rectifier diodes are relatively slow because they only have to work at 50 or 60Hz and possibly rarely at 400Hz.

Actually, it's almost always better to specify the part number, such as 1N4004 or 1N5402, etc., or 1N5817, etc.  That reduces the error of getting the wrong part.  I've seen cases where someone tried to use a 1N4001 diode for a switching converter, which is a big no-no.

The rectifier diodes used to produce "boost HT"* from the over-wind on Horizontal Output transformers on analog TVs  had to operate at 15kHz & were "fast recovery" diodes.
Use an ordinary silicon rectifier, like you would use for 50/60 Hz, & it will work,----for about 10 seconds!!

* I don't think they were called that on solid state TVs, but I learnt about such over-winds in the tube days.
Their purpose was to supply a higher voltage HT for the vertical OP & audio OP stages.

[Calvin]

Hi,

well, seemingly the only correct answer to  "What do you call a non-Schottky diode?" must be a ....
Schnottky
 

regards
Calvin

[David Hess]

For example, you would not use a rectifier diode in a switching converter, and you would not use a high speed diode or zero recovery diode in a mains line rectifier.  That's because of the cost vs switching speed.  Rectifier diodes are relatively slow because they only have to work at 50 or 60Hz and possibly rarely at 400Hz.

A Schottky rectifier is sometimes specified for a mains line rectifier for lower voltage drop or to avoid noise from snap back during reverse recovery.  Or fast recovery diodes may be specified to also avoid noise from snap back.

[adx]

X-ray tube, CRT.

[adx]

Undecided on a (cavity) magnetron though.

[Gyro]

X-ray tube, CRT.

The CRT is at least a triode (pentode or more depending on whether you count the focus electrodes etc.)

[Circlotron]

X-ray tube, CRT.

The CRT is at least a triode (pentode or more depending on whether you count the focus electrodes etc.)

That would be a project. To get a CRT to function as an amplifier.

[tggzzz]

X-ray tube, CRT.

The CRT is at least a triode (pentode or more depending on whether you count the focus electrodes etc.)

CRTs were used as RAM, up to 2560 bits.