James Both the PDFN and the DPAK move heat through an exposed pad into the board, but they serve different current classes and pay different board costs. This guide compares the thermal numbers, the layout cost, and the assembly, and says when each package wins. Last updated: October 16, 2026 Leadless Packages Move Heat Through the … Read more
D2PAK and TO-220 are both capable 30–40 A rectifier packages, but they embody two different thermal philosophies: the D2PAK turns the PCB into the heatsink, while the TO-220 bolts to an external one. The right choice follows the product’s mechanical architecture—dense board or chassis-level cooling. This article compares the two heat paths and maps them … Read more
Silicon Schottky diodes stop being practical around 250 V, and SiC Schottky diodes take over at 600/650 V and above, where their no-recovery behavior and high-temperature capability earn the premium. This guide compares the physics, the cost, and the PV and EV use cases, and draws the voltage line in between. Last updated: October 11, … Read more
Which is better, a Schottky or a fast recovery diode? The answer is decided by gates, not by a topology slogan. A Schottky stores no PN-junction minority carriers, so it has essentially no PN-style reverse recovery and can beat an FRD even in hard-switched stages when its voltage, leakage, capacitance, surge, and thermal gates close; … Read more
The choice between a Schottky and a PN rectifier is decided by four gates, applied in order: voltage class, operating temperature, switching frequency, and system cost. Schottkys win on forward drop and speed where voltage and temperature allow; PN diodes win on leakage stability, high blocking voltage, and unit cost. Work through the gates below … Read more
TO-220 mounting quality is the thermal design: the tab carries the heat, and the interface between tab and heatsink—pressure, interface material, insulation—decides how much of the datasheet RθJC you actually keep. This guide covers screw torque, thermal interface material, electrical insulation, airflow, and the installation defects that make a good part run hot. Last updated: … Read more
A rectifier package is the thermal and assembly contract: it sets how the heat leaves, how the part mounts, and how the production line handles it. This guide walks the spectrum from axial DO-41 to leadless PDFN, maps the power capability bands, and gives a selection checklist. Last updated: October 11, 2026 What the Thermal … Read more
Synchronous rectification replaces the output diode with a driven MOSFET, cutting the drop to an RDS(on) product—and paying a control cost in the driver, the dead time, and the failure modes. This guide covers the principle, the break-even table, the regions where each wins, and a worked 12 V example. Last updated: October 11, 2026 … Read more
The 100 V Schottky class buys more transient margin than the 60 V class, and it charges for it: higher forward drop at a given current and a different leakage picture at the operating point. This guide maps the transient exposure by load type, walks the decision for 12/24 V systems, and shows where each … Read more
The TO-220 carries up to about 40 A with mounting discipline, and the TO-247 takes over at higher currents with a larger die, more heat, and more mounting care. This guide compares the current, thermal, and mounting columns and the upgrade path. Last updated: October 16, 2026 What the Larger Package Actually Buys The step … Read more
A common-cathode dual diode puts two die with a shared cathode in one package, buying matching, thermal sharing, and a single footprint—and it has a boundary where two discretes make more sense. This guide covers the structure, the benefits, the roles, and the edge cases. Last updated: October 11, 2026 What a Dual-Diode Package Actually … Read more
Every Schottky voltage class is a trade between forward drop and reverse leakage, and the shape of that trade is set by the junction structure and read from the datasheet curves, not from the class number alone. The selection method is to pick the lowest class that fits the reverse peak with margin—before comparing parts. … Read more
Send the topology, current and voltage class. Good-Ark sales and application engineering will confirm the closest device, package and qualification status.