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
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
The TVS’s placement decides whether the datasheet’s clamp is the circuit’s clamp: close to the connector, short to ground, and a small loop are the rules, and the parasitic inductance is the enemy. This guide covers the rules, the overshoot, the PCB checklist, and the pulse verification. Last updated: October 11, 2026 Why Placement Matters … Read more
Paralleling two rectifier diodes raises the current capability only if the branch currents actually split as intended, and the split is decided by the VF match at temperature, the layout symmetry, and the measurement. This guide covers the motivation, the sharing physics, the layout rules, the derating, and the verification that make a parallel pair … Read more
Ringing on a rectifier’s switching node is the layout’s parasitics talking, and the snubber is the damping answer: an RC snubber is the first tool, sized by hand from the measured waveform, and an RCD snubber takes over at higher power. This guide covers the source, the calculations, the component selection, and the bench verification. … Read more
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