CLIPPER CIRCUIT/CLAMPER CIRCUIT
*CLIPPER :
>The wave shaping circuit which removes or clips some portion of applied input signal is called clipper
circuit.
>Mostly used in radar, digital & other electronic systems.
*TYPES OF CLIPPER CIRCUIT :
There are four types of clipper circuits commonly used.
a)Positive Clipper
b)Negative Clipper
c)Biased Clipper
1.Positive biased clipper
2.Negative biased clipper
d)Combination clipper
*POSITIVE CLIPPER:
>The clipper which clips or removes the positive half cycle of input signal completely is called positive
clipper.
>Circuit diagram:
>Circuit Details:
It consists of a diode D, series input resistance R, load resistance Rl. Resistor R & diode D used for
clipping purpose.
>Circuit Operation:
Suppose we consider sinusoidal input signal.
a)During the positive half cycle of input signal, diode D is forward biased. Hence diode D conducts & acts
as a closed switch. This creates a short path across the diode & voltage across the diode & also across
the load resistor Rl is zero. Hence output voltage during positive half cycle is zero.
b)During the negative half cycle of input signal diode D is reverse biased. Hence diode D does not
conducts & acts as an open switch. This creates an open path across the diode & no current flows
through it. The current flows through R & RL, which acts as a voltage divider.
𝑣
Current through the circuit is: i=-(𝑅+𝑅𝑙)
𝑣
Voltage across the load resistor Rl, vo=i x Rl= - (𝑅+𝑅𝑙) Rl
Maximum output voltage is :
𝑅𝑙
Vo=-( )x Vm
𝑅+𝑅𝑙
Since Rl >> R, R+Rl=Rl.
Hence output voltage , Vo= -Vm
*NEGATIVE CLIPPER:
>The clipper which clips or removes the negative half cycle of input signal completely is called negative
clipper.
>Circuit diagram:
>Circuit Details:
It consists of a diode D, series input resistance R, load resistance Rl. Resistor R & diode D used for
clipping purpose.
>Circuit Operation:
Suppose we consider sinusoidal input signal.
a)During the negative half cycle of input signal, diode D is forward biased. Hence diode D conducts &
acts as a closed switch. This creates a short path across the diode & voltage across the diode & also
across the load resistor Rl is zero. Hence output voltage during negative half cycle is zero.
b)During the positive half cycle of input signal diode D is reverse biased. Hence diode D does not
conducts & acts as an open switch. This creates an open path across the diode & no current flows
through it. The current flows through R & RL, which acts as a voltage divider.
𝑣
Current through the circuit is: i=(𝑅+𝑅𝑙)
𝑣
Voltage across the load resistor Rl, vo=i x Rl= (𝑅+𝑅𝑙)
Rl
Maximum output voltage is :
𝑅𝑙
Vo=( )x Vm
𝑅+𝑅𝑙
Since Rl >> R, R+Rl=Rl.
Hence output voltage , Vo= Vm
*BIASED CLIPPER:
The clipper which clips or removes some portion of either positive or negative half cycle of input signal is
called biased clipper.
It is of two types:
a)Positive biased clipper
b)Negative biased clipper
*POSITIVE BIASED CLIPPER:
>The biased clipper which clips some portion of positive half cycle only is called positive biased clipper.
> Circuit diagram:
>Circuit Details:
It consists of diode D, series input resistance R, load resistance Rl, bias battery V. Diode D & resistor R
used for clipping purpose. Magnitude of bias battery V indicates the level of clipping.
>Circuit Operation:
a)During the positive half cycle of input signal:
If v<V, diode D reverse biased .Hence dose not conducts & acts as open path. Current flows through R
& Rl .
𝑣
Current through the circuit is: i=(𝑅+𝑅𝑙)
𝑣
Voltage across the load resistor Rl, vo=i x Rl= (𝑅+𝑅𝑙)
Rl
Maximum output voltage is :
𝑅𝑙
Vo=(𝑅+𝑅𝑙)x Vm
Since Rl >> R, R+Rl=Rl.
Hence output voltage , Vo= Vm
i.e. Output is equal to input for v≤V.
If v>V, diode D forward biased. Hence conducts & acts as closed path.
The output voltage, Vo=V & it stays at +V so long as the input voltage is greater than +V.
b) During the negative half cycle of input signal, diode D is reverse biased. Initially bias battery V
provides reverse biasing. As a result for the entire positive half cycle of input diode D is reverse biased.
Hence acts as open path.
Current flows through R & Rl .
𝑣
Current through the circuit is: i=− (𝑅+𝑅𝑙)
𝑣
Voltage across the load resistor Rl, vo=i x Rl= − (𝑅+𝑅𝑙) Rl
Maximum output voltage is :
𝑅𝑙
Vo=-(𝑅+𝑅𝑙)x Vm
Since Rl >> R, R+Rl=Rl.
Hence output voltage , Vo= -Vm
i.e. Output is equal to input for negative half cycle of input.
*NEGATIVE BIASED CLIPPER:
>The biased clipper which clips some portion of negative half cycle only is called negative biased clipper.
> Circuit diagram:
>Circuit Details:
It consists of diode D, series input resistance R, load resistance Rl, bias battery V. Diode D & resistor R
used for clipping purpose. Magnitude of bias battery V indicates the level of clipping.
>Circuit Operation:
a)During the negative half cycle of input signal:
If v<V, diode D reverse biased .Hence dose not conducts & acts as open path. Current flows through R
& Rl .
𝑣
Current through the circuit is: i=− (𝑅+𝑅𝑙)
𝑣
Voltage across the load resistor Rl, vo=i x Rl= - (𝑅+𝑅𝑙) Rl
Maximum output voltage is :
𝑅𝑙
Vo=-(𝑅+𝑅𝑙)x Vm
Since Rl >> R, R+Rl=Rl.
Hence output voltage , Vo=- Vm
i.e. Output is equal to input for v≤V.
If v>V, diode D forward biased. Hence conducts & acts as closed path.
The output voltage, Vo=-V & it stays at -V so long as the input voltage is greater than V.
b) During the positive half cycle of input signal, diode D is reverse biased. Initially bias battery V
provides reverse biasing. As a result for the entire positive half cycle of input diode D is reverse biased.
Hence acts as open path.
Current flows through R & Rl .
𝑣
Current through the circuit is: i=(𝑅+𝑅𝑙)
𝑣
Voltage across the load resistor Rl, vo=i x Rl= Rl
(𝑅+𝑅𝑙)
Maximum output voltage is :
𝑅𝑙
Vo=(𝑅+𝑅𝑙)x Vm
Since Rl >> R, R+Rl=Rl.
Hence output voltage , Vo= Vm
i.e. Output is equal to input for positive half cycle of input.
*COMBINATION CLIPPER:
>The clipper which clips some portion of both positive & negative half cycle of input signal is called
combination clipper.
>It is the combination of positive biased & negative biased clippers.
>Circuit diagram:
>Circuit details:
It consists of two diodes D1&D2, bias battery V1 & V2, input series resistance R & load resistance Rl.
Diode D1 & bias battery V1 act as positive bias clipper. Diode D2 & bias battery V2 act as negative bias
clipper. The clipped output develops across load resistor Rl.
>Circuit operation:
Suppose we consider sinusoidal input signal.
a)During positive half cycle of input signal, diode D2 reverse biased. Bias battery V2 also provides reverse
biasing. As a result D2 does not conducts & acts as open circuit.D2 branch has no effect .The remaining
circuit is equivalent to a positive bias clipper.
Hence during positive half cycle if input v<V1, vo= vi. If input v>V1, vo= V1.
b)During negative half cycle of input signal, diode D1 reverse biased. Bias battery V1 also provides
reverse biasing. As a result D1 does not conducts & acts as open circuit.D1 branch has no effect .The
remaining circuit is equivalent to a negative bias clipper.
Hence during negative half cycle if input v<V2, vo= -v. If input v>V2, vo= -V2.
c)Between +V1 & -V2 both diodes D1 & D2 are off. Hence act as open path. As a result most of the
input appears as output.
half cycle if input v<V2, vo= -v. If input v>V2, vo= -V2.
>Input & output signal:
APPLICATION OF CLIPPER:
1. Clipper is used for changing the shape of waveform.
2. Used for circuit transient protection.
CLAMPER
*CLAMPER :
>The electronic circuit that places either the positive or negative peak of a signal at a desired
d. c. level is called as a clamper.
>It adds a d. c. component to the signal.
>It does not changes the shape of input signal, only the signal is shifted vertically.
>It does not changes the peak-to-peak value & r.m.s. value of waveform.
>It changes the peak & average values of a wave form.
*TYPES OF CLAMPER:
There are two types of clamper:
a)Positive Clamper
b)Negative Clamper
*Conditions Of Clamper:
The charging time of a capacitor is made very small as compared to its discharging time.
The time constant CRl is greater than the time period T of incoming signal.
POSITIVE CLAMPER:
>The clamper which shifts the input signal in positive direction such that negative peak lies on
zero reference axis is called positive clamper.
>Circuit Diagram:
>Circuit Details:
It consists of series capacitor C, diode D & load resistor Rl. Capacitor C & diode D used for
clamping. Clamped output develops across load resistor Rl. The value of C & Rl are so selected
that time constant CRl is very large.
>Circuit Operation:
Suppose we consider square wave input signal.
a)During negative half cycle of the input signal, the diode is forward biased. Hence it conducts &
acts as shot path. The charging time constant (CRf) is very small, so that the capacitor will charge
to input voltage V rapidly. The output voltage is equal to voltage across the short path. Hence
output voltage, Vo=0.
b)During positive half cycle of input signal, the diode is reverse biased & acts as an open path.
The capacitor now discharges through load resistor Rl. Since the discharging time constant (CRl)
is much greater than the time period of the input signal, the capacitor remains almost fully
charged to V during the off time of the diode.
Applying Kirchhoff’s voltage law:
V+V-Vo=0
Vo=2V
*NEGATIVE CLAMPER:
>The clamper which shifts the input signal in negative direction such that positive peak lies on
zero reference axis is called positive clamper.
>Circuit Diagram:
>Circuit Details:
It consists of series capacitor C, diode D & load resistor Rl. Capacitor C & diode D used for
clamping. Clamped output develops across load resistor Rl. The value of C & Rl are so selected
that time constant CRl is very large.
>Circuit Operation:
Suppose we consider square wave input signal.
a)During positive half cycle of the input signal, the diode is forward biased. Hence it conducts &
acts as shot path. The charging time constant (CRf) is very small, so that the capacitor will charge
to input voltage V rapidly. The output voltage is equal to voltage across the short path. Hence
output voltage, Vo=0.
b)During negative half cycle of input signal, the diode is reverse biased & acts as an open path.
The capacitor now discharges through load resistor Rl. Since the discharging time constant (CRl)
is much greater than the time period of the input signal, the capacitor remains almost fully
charged to V during the off time of the diode.Applying Kirchhoff’s voltage law:
- V-V-Vo=0
Vo=-2V
