Leading University, Sylhet

Department Of Electric & Electronics Engineering

Course Code: EEE-1316

Course Title: Electronics Lab – 1

Lab Report
Report No: 03

Name of Experiment: Study of Diode Clipping and Clamping Circuits.

Submitted to-

MD. Moontasir Rashid

Lecturer

Member, Research and Project Advisory Committee EEE,

Leading University

Submitted by-

Md.Rahatul Islam

Std .ID: 1912070052

Batch: 9(E)

Dept. of EEE

Submission Date: 23/01/2022

Title: Study of Diode Clipping and Clamping Circuits.

Objective: The purpose of this experiment is to demonstrate the operation of diode clipping and
clamping circuits.

Clipping Circuits:

The Diode Clipper, also known as a Diode Limiter, is a wave shaping circuit that takes an input
waveform and clips or cuts off its top half, bottom half or both halves together.This clipping of the
input signal produces an output waveform that resembles a flattened version of the input

Positive Diode Clipping Circuits -

The diode is forward biased (anode more positive than cathode) during the positive half cycle of the
sinusoidal input waveform. For the diode to become forward biased, it must have the input voltage
magnitude greater than +0.7 volts (0.3 volts for a germanium diode).
When this happens the diodes begins to conduct and holds the voltage across itself constant at
0.7V until the sinusoidal waveform falls below this value. Thus the output voltage which is taken
across the diode can never exceed 0.7 volts during the positive half cycle.
During the negative half cycle, the diode is reverse biased (cathode more positive than anode)
blocking current flow through itself and as a result has no effect on the negative half of the
sinusoidal voltage which passes to the load unaltered. Thus the diode limits the positive half of the
input waveform and is known as a positive clipper circuit.
Negative Diode Clipping Circuits
Here the reverse is true. The diode is forward biased during the negative half cycle of the sinusoidal
waveform and limits or clips it to –0.7 volts while allowing the positive half cycle to pass unaltered
when reverse biased. As the diode limits the negative half cycle of the input voltage it is therefore
called a negative clipper circuit.

Biased Diode Clipping Circuits

To produce diode clipping circuits for voltage waveforms at different levels, a bias voltage, VBIAS is
added in series with the diode to produce a combination clipper as shown. The voltage across the
series combination must be greater than VBIAS + 0.7V before the diode becomes sufficiently forward
biased to conduct. For example, if the VBIAS level is set at 4.0 volts, then the sinusoidal voltage at the
diode’s anode terminal must be greater than 4.0 + 0.7 = 4.7 volts for it to become forward biased.
Any anode voltage levels above this bias point are clipped off.
Positive Bias Diode Clipping
Likewise, by reversing the diode and the battery bias voltage, when a diode conducts the negative
half cycle of the output waveform is held to a level –VBIAS – 0.7V as shown.
Negative Bias Diode Clipping
A variable diode clipping or diode limiting level can be achieved by varying the bias voltage of the
diodes. If both the positive and the negative half cycles are to be clipped, then two biased clipping
diodes are used. But for both positive and negative diode clipping, the bias voltage need not be the
same. The positive bias voltage could be at one level, for example 4 volts, and the negative bias
voltage at another, for example 6 volts as shown.

Clamping Circuit:

Clamping is a function which must be frequently performed with a periodic waveform in the
establishment of the recurrent positive or negative extremity at some constant reference level.
Clamping circuits are also referred to as dc restorer or dc inserter.

Positive Clamper

A positive clamper adds positive dc level and a negative clamper adds a negative dc level. A
positive clamper clamps a negative extremity of the input signal to the reference voltage level

Negative Clamper:

A negative clamper adds to negative dc level by clamping the positive extremity of the input to the
reference voltage level.

Apparatus:

1. Diode 2. Trainer Board 3. Resistor 4. Oscilloscope 5. Multimeter

6. Chord 7. Capacitor 8. DC Power Supply

Circuit Diagram:

Clipper Circuit:
Fig-1.1(b): Positive Biased Clipper Circuit .

Fig-1.2(a): Negative Clipper Circuit .

 Fig-1.2(b): Negative Biased Clipper Circuit .

Clamping Circuit:

Fig-2.1(a): Positive Clamper Circuit .

Fig-2.1(b): Positive Biased Clamper Circuit .

Fig-2.2(a): Negative Clamper Circuit .

 Fig-2.2(b): Negative Biased Clamper Circuit .

Experimental Procedure:

1. Constructed the circuit for both clipping and clamping as shown in the figure.

2. Observed VI and V0 at the oscilloscope in dual mode and took the readings.

3. Sketched the waveform to distinguish the difference.

Oscillation Display:

Fig-3.1(a): Positive Clipper Circuit .

Fig-3.1(b): Positive Biased Clipper Circuit .

 Fig-3.2(a): Negative Clipper Circuit .

Fig-3.2(b): Negative Biased Clipper Circuit .

 Fig-4.1(a): Positive Clamper Circuit .

Fig-4.1(b): Positive Biased Clamper Circuit .

 Fig-4.2(a): Negative Clamper Circuit .

Fig-4.2(b): Negative Biased Clamper Circuit .

Discussion:
The major difference between clipper and clamper is that clipper is a limiting circuit which limits the output
voltage while clamper is a circuit which shifts the DC level of output voltage. The clipper and clamper circuits
are exactly opposite to each other regarding their working principle.
Applications of clippers
1. Used for generating new waveforms and/or shaping the existing older waveforms.
2. Clippers can be used as freewheeling diodes in protecting the transistors from transient
effects by connecting the diodes in parallel with the inductive load.
3. Commonly used in power supplies.
4. In the separation of synchronizing signals existing from the composite color picture signals.
5. Frequently used in FM transmitters for removing the excess ripples in the signals above a
certain noise level.
Applications of Clampers
1. Clampers can be frequently used in removing the distortions and identification of polarity of
the circuits.
2. For improving the reverse recovery time, clampers are used.
3. Clamping circuits can be used as voltage doublers and for modelling the existing waveforms
to a required shape and range.
4. Clampers are widely used in test equipment and other sonar systems.