How to distinguish the anode and cathode terminals of a diode?

For two-terminal diodes, the cathode terminal is marked by a laser or other technique. For the diodes with three or more terminals, see the technical datasheet for the positions of cathode terminals.

Fig. 1 Diode Symbol
Fig. 1 Diode Symbol
Fig. 2 Example of Diode Marking
Fig. 2 Example of Diode Marking

* This is a trace of the ejector pin, which is a dimple that occurs due to manufacturing reasons. and it is not a cathode mark and has nothing to do with electrical properties.

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