An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A junction between a metal and a semiconductor, which exhibits rectifying characteristics. A Schottky barrier has a very fast switching action and low forward voltage drop of about 0.3 volts, compared with 0.6 volts in silicon diodes, which use adjacent p-type and n-type semiconductors.

See also: Named after Walter Hans Schottky (1886-1976), German physicist, who described the phenomenon; → barrier.