1

DIODE CLIPPER 2
Definition :

-A clipper is a device which limits, remove or prevents some portion of the

wave form (input signal voltage) above or below a certain level.
-It is used for amplitude limiting and noise eliminations.

Types Of Clippers :

i.Series Clipper
ii.Parallel Clipper
 3
CLIPPER
S
SERIES
PARALLE
CLIPPE
L/ SHUNT
R
CLIPPER
UNBIASE
BIASED UNBIASE
D BIASED
SERIES D
SERIES PARALL
CLIPPER PARALLE
CLIPPER EL
L
CLIPPER
POSITIV POSITIV CLIPPER
E E POSITIV POSITIV
E E
NEGATIV NEGATIV
E E NEGATIV NEGATIV
E E
1. Unbiased Series Clipper

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1.1 Unbiased Series positive clipper
 A diode is connected in series with the output.
 It removes or clips the positive half completely.

Vi Vo
+

Vi RL Vo
t t
t1 t2
-

CASE 1 : During the positive half cycle of the input voltage (Vi>0):
 The diode is reverse biased.
 Diode acts as an open circuit.
Therefore all the applied voltage drops across the diode and none
across the resistor.
As a result of this there is no output voltage during the positive half
cycle of the input voltage (Vo=0).
Vi Vo
+

Vi >0
Vi RL Vo
0 t t
t1 t1
-
 5
CASE 2 : During the negative half cycle of the input voltage (Vi<0) :
 The diode is forward biased.
 Diode acts as a short circuit.
There is no voltage drop across diode (except for diode resistance).
Almost all of the input voltage is dropped across the resistor (Vo=Vi).

Vi Vi
+

Vi RL Vo
0 t t
Vi <0 t1 t2 t1 t2
-
 Example 1 : Unbiased Series Positive Clipper
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Question : Answer :

Refer to the figure below. D1 is

silicon diode. Vi = 10Vpp. Sketch 5V

the input and output waveforms.

-5V

-4.3V
Figure 1

* Silicon diode has 0.7 voltage drop

across the diode
1.3 Unbiased Series negative clipper 7
Diode is connected in series with the output.
It remove or clip the negative half cycle of the input completely.
Vi Vo
+

Vi RL Vo
t t
t1
-

Case 1 : During the positive half cycle of the voltage (Vi>0) :

The diode is forward biased.
Diode acts it as a short circuit.
As a result ,all the input voltage appears across the resistor (Vo=Vi).

Vi Vo
+

Vi >0 Vi RL Vo
0 t t
t1
-
Case 2 : During the negative half cycle of the voltage (Vi<0): 8
 The diode is reverse biased.
 Diode acts as an open circuit.
 All of the voltage drop across the diode.
 There is no voltage drop across the resistor (Vo=0).

Vi Vi
+

Vi RL Vo
0 t t
Vi <0 t1 t2
-
 Example 2 : Unbiased Series Negative Clipper
9
Question : Answer :

Refer to the figure below. D1 is silicon

diode. Vi = 10Vpp. Sketch the input 5V
and output waveforms.

-5V

4.3V

* Assume the diode is silicon which has

0.7 voltage drop across the diode.
1.2 Biased positive series clipper
It
10
use to remove a small portion of positive half cycle of the signal voltage
(input signal).
The clipping takes place during the positive cycle only when the input voltage
is greater than battery voltage (i.e. Vi > Vb).
The clipping level can be shifted up or down by varying the bias voltage (VB).
Vi
Vi
+

Vi>Vb Vi>Vb
Vb Vi RL Vo Vb t
0 t 0
Vi<Vb Vi<Vb
CASE 1 : (Vi > Vb) ; -

•The diode is in Reverse biased (voltage potential for cathode is more positive than
anode).
•Diode acts as open circuit.
•Vo = Vb

CASE 2 : (Vi < Vb) ;

•The diode is in forward biased (voltage potential for cathode is more
negative than anode).
•Diode act as short circuit.
•Vo=Vi
Example 3 :
(Series positive clipper with bias) 11
Question : Answer :
Refer to the figure below. D1 is
silicon diode. Vi = 8Vpp, V = 2V. 4V
Sketch the input and output
waveforms.

-4V
-3.3V

2V

* Assume the diode is silicon which has

0.7 voltage drop across the diode.
 12
Question : Answer :

4V

-4V
-3.3V

-2V

* Assume the diode is silicon which has

0.7 voltage drop across the diode.
1.4 Biased negative Series clipper
13
In this circuit clipping take place during the negative half cycle only when the input
voltage Vi < Vb .
Clipping level can be shifted up or down by varying the bias voltage
(-VB). Vi
Vi
+

Vb
Vi>Vb Vi RL Vo Vi>Vb
Vb t
0 t 0
Vi<Vb Vi<Vb
-

CASE 1 : (Vi>Vb) ;

•The diode is in forward biased (voltage potential for anode is more

positive than cathode).
•Diode act as short circuit.
•Vo=Vi
CASE 2 : (Vi < Vb) ;

•The diode is in Reverse biased (voltage potential for anode is more

negative than cathode).
•Diode acts as open circuit.
•Vo = Vb
 14
Question : Answer :

4V

-4V

2V
3.3V

* Assume the diode is silicon which has

0.7 voltage drop across the diode.
 15
Question : Answer :

4V

-4V

3.3V

-2V

* Assume the diode is silicon which has

0.7 voltage drop across the diode.
2. Parallel Clipper
2. 1 Unbiased Parallel Positive Clipper
Resistor and diode are connected in series with the input signal.
16
 The output signal is developed across the diode.
The output is in parallel with the diode hence the circuit name parallel clipper
The diode acts as a short circuit when forward biased and as an open circuit when
reverse biased.

Vi
Vo
+
RL

Vi Vo
t
t
t1 t2
-
CASE 1 : Vi > 0 :
•The diode is in forward biased.
•Diode acts as short circuit.
•Vo=0

CASE 2 : Vi < 0 :
•The diode is in reverse biased.
•Diode acts as open circuit.
•Vo=Vi
 17
Question : Answer :

5V

-5V

0.7V

-5V
0.7V

* Assume the diode is silicon which has

0.7 voltage drop across the diode.
2.2 Biased Parallel positive clipper
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Positive terminal of the battery is connected to the cathode of the diode.
This causes the diode to be reversed biased at all times except when the input signal is more positive the bias
voltage (Vi > Vb).

Vi Vi
+

Vi>Vb
Vb Vi Vo Vi>Vb
0 Vb
t
Vi<Vb 0
- Vi<Vb

CASE 1 : Vi > Vb
•The diode is in Forward biased (voltage potential for anode is more positive than cathode).
•Diodes acts as short circuit.
•Vo = Vb

CASE 2 : Vi < Vb
•The diode is in Reverse biased (voltage potential for anode is more positive than cathode).
•Diodes acts as open circuit.
•Vo = Vi
 19
Question : Answer :

5V

-5V

2.7V

- 5V

* Assume the diode is silicon which has

0.7 voltage drop across the diode.
 20
Question : Answer :

5V

-5V
-1.3V

-5V

* Assume the diode is silicon which has

0.7 voltage drop across the diode.
2.3 Unbiased Parallel negative clipper 21
The negative clipper has allowed to pass the positive half cycle of the input voltage and
clipped the negative half cycle completely.
The diode acts as a short circuit for a negative input voltage (V i < 0) and as an open circuit
for a positive input voltage.
Vi Vo
+

Vi Vo
t t
t1

CASE 1 : Vi > 0 :
•The diode is in reverse biased.
•Diode acts as open circuit.
•Vo=Vi

CASE 2 : Vi < 0 :
•The diode is in forward biased.
•Diodes acts as short circuit.
•Vo=0
 22
Question : Answer :

5V

5V
-5V
-0.7V

* Assume the diode is silicon which has

0.7 voltage drop across the diode.
2.4 Biased Parallel negative clipper with bias
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Clipping take place during the negative half cycle only when the input voltage (V i <
Vb).
The clipping level can be shifted up or down by varying the bias voltage (—V ).
B

Vi
Vi
+

Vi>Vb
Vb Vi Vo Vi>Vb
0 Vb
t 0 t
Vi<Vb
- Vi<Vb

CASE 1 : Vi > Vb :

•The diode is in reverse biased (voltage potential for cathode is more positive than anode).
•Diode act as open circuit.
•Vo=Vi

CASE 2 : Vi < Vb :

•The diode is in Forward biased (voltage potential for cathode is more negative than anode).
•Diode act as short circuit.
•Vo=Vb
 24
Question : Answer :

5V

-5V

5V

1.3V

* Assume the diode is silicon which has

0.7 voltage drop across the diode.
 25
Question : Answer :

5V

-5V

5V

-2.7V

* Assume the diode is silicon which has

0.7 voltage drop across the diode.
 2.5 Parallel Biased Clipper
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 A parallel-biased clipper is a circuit that clips the positive and
negative-going portions of the input signal simultaneously.
 This is designed by using two parallel diodes oriented in opposite
directions
Example 15 :

5V

-5V

2.2V
-2.2V

* Assume the diodes are silicon which

has 0.7 voltage drop across the diode.
 DIODE CLAMPER
• 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.

• The clamper is also referred to as an IC restorer and ac

signal level shifter.
POSITIVE CLAMPER
• The circuit will be called a positive clamper , when the signal is pushed upward by the
circuit.
• The circuit for a positive clamper is shown in the figure.
During the negative half cycle of the input signal :
 The diode conducts and acts like a short circuit.
 The output voltage Vo  0 volts .
 The capacitor is charged to the peak value of input voltage, and it behaves like a battery.
During the positive half of the input signal :
 The diode does not conduct and acts as an open circuit.
 The capacitor is charged to the peak value of input voltage, and it behaves like a battery.
 Hence the output voltage Vo Vi + Vcapacitor = 2Vm This gives a positively clamped voltage.
NEGATIVE CLAMPER
During the positive half cycle :
The diode conducts and acts like a short circuit.
The capacitor charges to peak value of input voltage.
During this interval, the output Vo=0
During the negative half cycle :
The capacitor charges to peak value of input voltage.
The diode is open.
The output voltage can be found by applying KVL ; -Vm –Vm –Vo = 0
Vo = -2Vm
BIASED CLAMPER
During the negative half cycle of the input signal :
• The diode is forward biased and acts like a short circuit.
• The ouput voltage is equal as biased voltage.

During the positive half cycle of the input signal :

•The diode is reverse biased and it acts as an open circuit.
• The capacitor charges to peak value of input voltage.