Saint Louis University

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

Experiment No: 6

CLIPPERS AND CLAMPERS

TLO 6: Familiarize the different types of clipping and clamping circuits and display their
output waveform.

I. INTRODUCTION:

Diodes are specifically useful for signal modification in terms of clipping and
clamping. Clippers Clipping circuits (also known as limiters, amplitude selectors, or
slicers), are used to remove the part of a signal that is above or below some defined
reference level. To clip to a reference level other than zero, a dc source is connected in
series with the diode. Depending on the direction of
the diode and the polarity of the battery, the circuit will either clip the input waveform
above or below the reference level.

Clamping circuits, also known as dc restorers or clamped capacitors, shift an

input signal by an amount defined by an independent voltage source. While clippers
limit the part of the input signal that reaches the output according to some reference
level(s), the entire input reaches the output in a clamping circuit– it is just shifted so that
the maximum (or minimum) value of the input is “clamped” to the independent source.

II. EQUIPMENT/ MATERIALS NEEDED:

Transformer - 220V: 12V

Two (2) batteries - 9V
Two (2) diodes - Silicon, 1N4001
Resistor - 1KΩ, 1W
Capacitor - 100F, electrolytic
VOM
Oscilloscope

III. PROCEDURES:

Objective A. To become familiar with the different types of clipping circuits.

1.
a. Examine the circuit given in (1a) to (4d).

COURSE NO. : EE 322L

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: ELECTRONICS 1
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
LABORATORY
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SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

b. Differentiate features of unbiased clipper, shunt type biased clipper and series
type biased clipper circuits.

Objective B. To verify the output waveforms and identify the names of the
different clipping circuits

2.
a. Connect the circuit as shown in figure (1a). Set the oscilloscope to dual function.
Connect one probe (Channel 1) of the oscilloscope across the secondary winding
of transformer. Adjust setting of the oscilloscope to display a waveform with at least two
cycles.

b. Sketch the waveform. Measure the peak value of the voltage across the secondary
winding of the transformer.

Epk =_______________Vp
Waveform:

c. Connect the other probe (channel 2) of the oscilloscope across the output of the
circuit. Do not change the oscilloscope setting.

d. Sketch the output waveform. Properly label the waveform, indicating the positive
and/or negative peak values and the clipping levels. Record results in Table 1, identify
and write the name of the circuit beside the circuit number.

e. Repeat the procedure (d) for each of the circuits in fig. (1b) through (4d).

Objective C. To become familiar with the different types of clamping circuits

3.
a. Examine the circuit given in figure (5a) to (5f).

b. Differentiate the features of the five (5) clamping circuits.

Objective D. To verify the output waveforms and identify the names of the
different clamping circuits.

4.

COURSE NO. : EE 322L

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: ELECTRONICS 1
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
LABORATORY
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SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

a. Connect the circuit as shown in figure (5a). Set the oscilloscope for dual
function. Connect one probe (Channel 1) of the oscilloscope across the secondary
winding of the transformer. Adjust the setting of the oscilloscope to display a waveform
with at least two cycles.

b. Connect the other probe (channel 2) of the oscilloscope across the output of
the circuit. Do not change the oscilloscope setting.

c. Sketch the output waveform. Properly label the waveform indicating the
positive or negative peak values and the clamping levels. Record results in Table 2.
Identify and write the name of the circuit beside the circuit number.

d. Repeat procedure (b) for each of the circuits in figure (5b) to (5f).

FIGURE OUTPUT WAVEFORM

COURSE NO. : EE 322L

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: ELECTRONICS 1
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
LABORATORY
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SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

FIGURE OUTPUT WAVEFORM

COURSE NO. : EE 322L

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: ELECTRONICS 1
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
LABORATORY
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 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

FIGURE OUTPUT WAVEFORM

COURSE NO. : EE 322L

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: ELECTRONICS 1
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
LABORATORY
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SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

FIGURE OUTPUT WAVEFORM

COURSE NO. : EE 322L

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: ELECTRONICS 1
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
LABORATORY
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SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

IV. DATA AND RESULTS

V. DISCUSSION (observation/ interpretation of results):

COURSE NO. : EE 322L

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: ELECTRONICS 1
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
LABORATORY
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LABORATORY MANUAL

VI. CONCLUSION

VII. REFERENCES:

COURSE NO. : EE 322L

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: ELECTRONICS 1
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
LABORATORY
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