Abstract: A mechanism for effectively preventing damage to a GaAs-resident semiconductor device directs electrostatic charge buildup to a neutralizing source of reference potential by means of a parasitic bypass Schottky circuit that is effectively invisible to normal input signals, but which otherwise provides a current sink discharge path for the unwanted electrostatic charge. The mechanism employs one or more parasitic Schottky diodes formed as a result of the deposition of input/power supply metal on the surface of a semi-insulating GaAs substrate, coupled in series with low resisitivity regions between the input metal and respective power supply terminals.