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Clipping and Clamping Diode Circuits: Experiment 6
Clipping and Clamping Diode Circuits: Experiment 6
OBJECTIVES
• To understand the theory of operation of the clipping and clamping diode circuits.
• To design wave shapes that meet different circuits needs.
INTRODUCTION
By definition, clipping circuits clip signals above a selected voltage level, whereas clamping circuits
shift the DC voltage of a waveform. Many wave shapes can be produced with the proper application
of these two important diode functions.
PRE-LAB WORK
1. Theoretical Output Voltages
Predict the expected output waveform of each circuit shown in Figures 1 through 6. Assume that the
diodes used in the circuit are ideal.
LAB WORK
1. Clipping Circuit
Form the circuit of Figure 1 on the breadboard. Display both input and output on two separate DC
coupled oscilloscope channels. Observe and make scaled sketches of both input and output
waveforms. Use a 10 Volt peak-to-peak triangle wave with zero DC offset at
1000 Hz as the input signal in this as well as all other measurements of this experiment
Figure 1 Clipping Circuit used in experiment. The diode is a 1N914 silicon diode.
Replace the DC supply shown in Fig. 1 with a Zener diode as shown in Fig. 2. Measure the DC
characteristic for the circuit.
• How will this characteristic change if both diodes reverse polarity?
• Apply a 10V peak-to-peak triangular waveform to the input and monitor both input and
output waveforms simultaneously. Capture the oscilloscope display.
• Measure the clipping level of the waveform and compare it with the measured DC
characteristic. Comment on your finding!
Figure 2 Clipping Circuit used in experiment. The diode is a 1N914 silicon diode. The Zener diode
is 1N4614.
Compare the waveforms obtained from the circuit in Fig. 1 with those obtained from the circuit in
Fig. 2. Comment on the similarities and dissimilarities in the performance.
4. Clamping Circuit 1
Form the circuit of Figure 5 by replacing the 1kΩ resistor used in the circuit of Figure 1 with an l µF
capacitor. Display both input and output on two separate (dual channel oscilloscope) DC coupled
oscilloscope channels. Observe and make scaled sketches of both input and output waveforms on the
same graph.
Figure 4 Clipping with two Zener diodes.
5. Clamping Circuit 2
Form the circuit of Figure 6 by removing the 1.8-Volt DC power supply from the circuit of Figure 5.
Observe and capture both input and output waveforms on the same graph.
Figure 6 – Clamping Circuit 2.
2. Discussion
Discuss the significance of the change in the output waveform observed in Measurement # 7of the
lab work for the two values of RL used. Compare the theoretical output waveform to the measured
output waveform.
REQUIRED PARTS