EXPERIMENT 3: WAVESHAPING CIRCUITS

I. OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clipping and clamping of sinusoidal signal using silicon diode.

II. BASIC CONCEPT

Diode can be used in wave-shaping circuit that limits a portion of a signal or shift the dc voltage
level. These are the diode clipper and the diode clamper are examples of wave-shaping circuit. The
diode clipper prevents the output voltage from exceeding a given value. It clips those portions of a signal
that are above or below the reference level. The diode clamper circuit shifts the entire waveform by a dc
level without changing the original waveform.

III. MATERIALS
Quantity Description
1 15-KΩ resistor (1/2 watt)
2 1N4001 silicon diode
1 5 KΩ Potentiometer or 10-Turn “Trimpot”
1 1 uF (16V)
1 Breadboard
1 Dual Trace Oscilliscope
1 Power Supply
1 Signal Generator
1 Multimeter
1set Connecting wires

IV. WIRING DIAGRAMS

Oscilloscope
Function Generator
6V/200Hz Ext T rig
+
_
A B
+ _ + _

R1

15kΩ
D1
1N4001

2 XSC1
0
XFG1
Figure 2.1 Positive Clipper
 Oscilloscope
Function Generator
6V/200Hz Ext T rig
+
_
A B
+ _ + _

R1

15kΩ
D1
1N4001

2 XSC1
XFG1
Figure 2.2 Negative Clipper 1 0

Oscilloscope
Function Generator
6V/200Hz Ext T rig
+
_
A B
+ _ + _

R1

15kΩ
D1
1N4001

15 V
43
5kΩ 0
2 XSC1
1
XFG1 5kΩ
Key=A
V1
R2 50%

Figure 2.3 Positive Biased Clipper

R3

Oscilloscope
Function Generator
6V/200Hz Ext Trig
+
_
A B
+ _ + _

R1

15kΩ

D1
1N4001
15 V
4
5kΩ 1 0
2 XSC1
3
XFG1 5kΩ
Key=A
V1
R2 50%

Figure 2.4 Negtive Biased Clipper

R3
 Oscilloscope
Function Generator
6V/200Hz Ext Trig
+
_
A B
+ _ + _

1uF
D1 R1
1N4001 10kΩ

12
XSC1
C

XFG1

Figure 2.5 Clamper Circuit

V. PROCEDURE
A. DIODE CLIPPER

1. Connect the clipper circuit as shown in Figure 2.1. Set your oscilloscope to the following settings:
Channels 1 and 2: 1V/division, DC coupling
Time Base: 1ms/Division

2. Connect the signal generator to the clipper circuit. Adjust the signal generator’s output at 6V peak-to-
peak at a frequency of 200Hz. On the data page and results section, sketch your clipped waveform,
showing the positive and negative peak values. Label properly.

3. Now reverse the polarity of the diode in the circuit as shown in the Figure 2.2. How does this
waveform compare with that of step 2. Sketch your clipped waveform showing the positive and negative
peak values.

4. Now connect the circuit of Figure 2.3. Apply power and adjust the potentiometer so that the DC
voltage (VDC) is +1.5V. Connect the signal generator set at 6Vp-p. What do you notice about the output
of the clipper? On the data page and results section, sketch your clipped waveform showing the positive
and negative peak values.

5. Vary the resistance of the potentiometer from one extreme to the other. What happens to the
clipping level?

6. Now reverse the polarities of both the diode and the DC power supply in the circuit as shown in Figure
2.4. Adjust the potentiometer so that the DC voltage (V DC) is +1.5V. Connect the signal generator set at
6Vp-p. What do you notice about the output of the clipper? On the data page and results section, sketch
your clipped waveform showing the positive and negative peak values.

7. Vary the resistance of the potentiometer from one extreme to the other. What happens to the
clipping level?
B. DIODE CLAMPER

1. Connect the clamper circuit as shown in Figure 2.5. Set your oscilloscope to the following settings:
Channels 1 and 2: 2V/division, DC coupling
Time Base: 0.2ms/Division

2. Connect the signal generator to the clamper circuit. Adjust the signal generator’s output level at 5V
peak-to-peak at a frequency of 1KHz. You should see two sine waves. On the space provided at the data
and results section, sketch the input and output waveforms, showing the positive and negative peak
values for both.

3. Slowly increase the peak-to-peak input voltage and observe what happens.

4. Now reverse the polarity of the diode in Figure 2.5 and repeat steps 2, 3 and 4. Now what happens?
On the space provided at the data and results section sketch both input and output waveforms showing
the positive and the negative peak values for both.

5. Slowly increase the peak-to-peak voltage and observe what happens.

VI. DATA AND RESULTS

Table 2.1
Vout(Vp-p) Measured Vout(Vp-p)
CIRCUIT Vin(Vp-p) %Difference
Value Expected Value
+ Clipper

-Clipper

+ Biased Clipper

-Biased Clipper

Clamper

VII. SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS

VIII. GRAPHS

IX. ANALYSIS OF RESULTS

X. CONCLUSIONS
 XI. SELF-TEST QUESTIONS
1. For the positive clipper of Figure 2.1, the positive peak voltage is approximately
a. 0V
b. +3V
c. +0.6V
d. +6V
2. For the negative clipper of Figure 2.2, the positive peak are not clipped because the diode is
a. Negative Biased
b. Forward Biased
3. In all clipping circuits in this experiment, the 15-KΩ resistor is used to
a. set the clipping level
b. set the peak output voltage
c. limit the voltage across the diode
d. limit the forward current
4. For the circuit in Figure 2.3, the potentiometer is used to set the clipping level of the output’s
a. positive peaks
b. negative peaks
c. positive and negative peaks
5. For the circuit in figure 2.4, the potentiometer is used to set the clipping level of the output’s
a. positive peaks
b. negative peaks
c. positive and negative peaks
5. In the experiment, the rectifier circuit that has the greatest DC output voltage is the
a. half-wave rectifier
b. full-wave center-tapped rectifier
c. full-wave bridge rectifier

XII. APPLICATIONS (CIRCUIT SIMULATION)

1. Design a clamper to perform the function indicated by the figure below.

Ideal
  Diodes 30V    
20V     (+)       (+)      

                 
Vin         Vi Design Vout        

          10V    
20V     (-)     (-)