Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Fabrication of Schottky Diodes on Zn-polar BeMgZnO/ZnO Heterostructure Grown by Plasma-assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy
Published on: October 23, 2018
Note: Measuring dezincification of brass by Schottky barrier diodes formed between semiconductor corrosion products
1Northamptonshire Police, Force HQ, Wootton Hall, Northampton NN4 OJQ, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
A newly developed method is presented for measuring dezincification on the surface of brass from a consideration of the forward and reverse bias potential drop across a Schottky barrier diode formed between n-type zinc oxide or p-type copper (I) oxide corrosion products and the brass substrate. Electrical connection to the corrosion product is made with zinc and platinum tipped probes, approximately 1 mm diameter. Comparison with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows the difference between the forward and reverse bias potential drop to be dependent on the relative abundance of the corrosion products and the work function of the metal probe. This difference, for a zinc tipped probe, gives a statistically significant correlation to the surface zinc to copper ratio and the degree of dezincification. Details of the setup, operation, and testing of a portable instrument designed to measure dezincification of brass by this method are given.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Schottky Barrier Diode
Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
Schottky Barriers
Schottky barriers arise when a metal with a work function (Φm) contacts a semiconductor with a different work function (Φs). Initially, electrons transfer until the Fermi levels of the metal and semiconductor align at equilibrium. For instance, if Φm > Φs, the semiconductor Fermi level is higher than the metal's before contact. The semiconductor's...
Corrosion
Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
In Schottky junctions, where the semiconductor is n-type, applying a positive voltage to the metal relative to the semiconductor reduces its Fermi...
Voltammetry: Stripping Methods
Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV)
ASV is used to determine metals and metalloids at trace levels. It involves two steps: deposition and stripping. First, a negative potential is applied to the...

