ECE 220:

SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
Diode Circuit Analysis

Prepared by: Engr. Arcel Salem

2nd Sem. AY 2022-2023
ELECTRONICS CIRCUITS

CLIPPERS
and
CLAMPERS

ECE220 Engr. Salem

DIODE CLIPPERS
• Clippers are networks that employ diodes to “clip” away a portion of an
input signal without distorting the remaining part of the applied waveform.

• There are two general categories of clippers: series and parallel.

• The series configuration is defined as one where the diode is in series
with the load
• The parallel has the diode in a branch parallel to the load.

ECE220 Engr. Salem

SERIES DIODE CLIPPERS

• The diode in a series clipper “clips” any voltage that does not forward bias it:
• A reverse biasing polarity
• A forward biasing polarity less than 0.7 V (for a silicon diode)

ECE220 Engr. Salem

EXAMPLE
• Determine the output waveform for the sinusoidal input of the figure shown.

Solution

ECE220 Engr. Salem

PARALLEL DIODE CLIPPERS

• The diode in a parallel clipper circuit “clips” any voltage that forward bias it.
• The DC biasing can be added in series with the diode to change the clipping level.

ECE220 Engr. Salem

SUMMARY OF CLIPPER CIRCUITS

ECE220 Engr. Salem

SUMMARY OF CLIPPER CIRCUITS

ECE220 Engr. Salem

CLAMPERS
• A clamper is a network constructed of a diode, a resistor, and a capacitor that shifts a
waveform to a different DC level without changing the appearance of the applied signal.
• A diode and a capacitor can be combined to “clamped” an AC signal to a specific DC
level.
• Clamping networks have a capacitor connected directly from input to output with a
resistive element in parallel with the output signal. The diode is also in parallel with the
output signal but may or may not have a series DC supply as an added element.

Clamper

ECE220 Engr. Salem

BIASED CLAMPER CIRCUITS
• The input signal can be any type of waveform such as sine, square, and triangle waves.

• The DC source lets you adjust the DC camping level

Clamping network with a sinusoidal input

ECE220 Engr. Salem

EXAMPLE
• Determine 𝑣𝑜 of the network shown below for the input indicated.

Solution

ECE220 Engr. Salem

SUMMARY OF CLAMPER CIRCUITS

ECE220 Engr. Salem

REFERENCES

• Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10th & 11th edition by Robert L.
Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky

ECE220 Engr. Salem