The Schottky diode is named after the German physicist Walter Schottky. It is also known as hot-carrier diode or Schottky barrier. In 1938 he developed the model of the metal-semiconductor contact. For the Schottky diode is a diode, which has no pn junction (semiconductor-semiconductor transition) but a metal-semiconductor junction. The interface between metal and semiconductor is called a Schottky barrier. As a diode with a pn junction, the Schottky diode has a rectifying property. Under certain conditions, their metal-semiconductor junction behaves like an ohmic resistance. He is then known as an ohmic contact.

When Schottky diodes are "fast" diodes. They are suitable for high frequency applications up in the microwave range. Their speed is mainly due to their small saturation capacity. They are therefore often used as protection diodes for stress relief of induced voltages or rectifier in switching power supplies used.

The disadvantages of Schottky diodes are higher leakage currents compared to pn diodes, and in designs for higher blocking voltage rapidly increasing power losses.

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