Patent ID: 6969900

Claim:
A semiconductor diode with hydrogen detection capability, comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a doped semiconductor active layer formed on said substrate and made from a compound having the formula XYZ, in which X is a Group III element, Y is another Group III element different from X, and Z is a Group V element; a semiconductor contact-enhancing layer formed on said active layer and made from a compound having the formula MN, in which M is a Group III element, and N is a Group V element; an ohmic contact layer formed on said semiconductor contact-enhancing layer and extending through said semiconductor contact-enhancing layer and into said active layer; a Schottky barrier contact layer formed on said active layer so as to provide a Schottky barrier therebetween, said Schottky barrier contact layer being made from a metal that is capable of dissociating a hydrogen molecule into hydrogen atoms; and an oxide layer sandwiched between said active layer and said Schottky barrier contact layer.