Schottky diode configuration

Sensors febricated in the Schottky diode configuration (using Pt as a metal catalyst) showed improved performances compared with standard thin film conductometric devices for hydrogen detection, especially in oxygen-rich environment. This has been ascribed to the catalytic effect of platinum for the chemisorption of hydrogen that also allows the sensor to work in a wide range of temperatures. 

The ability to make ever smaller solid-state devices by improved lithography techniques has led to the development of so-called beam lead Schottky-barrier diode detectors and mixers in which diodes are fabricated by the same techniques used to make integrated circuits, and for this reason, they can be included in these circuits. Figure 7 shows such a beam-lead detector/mixer made by Virginia Diodes of Charlottesville, VA [15]. This same configuration is used in fabricating the varactor devices used for frequency multiplication discussed in the preceding section. 

Closely related is the so-called photochemical diode,489 consisting of either a metal/ semiconductor Schottky barrier or a p n junction, which generates the voltage needed on illumination, to split water. Photochemical diodes are discussed along with other twin photosystem configurations in the next Section. 

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