EXPERIMENT 2: WAVESHAPING CIRCUITS

I. OBJECTIVE
 To investigate the clipping and clamping of sinusoidal
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 K Ω 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 Trig
+
 _ 
 A B
+  _  + _ 

R1

15kΩ
D1
1N4001

Figure 2.1 Positive Clipper

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

R1

15kΩ
D1
1N4001

Figure 2.2 Negative Clipper

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

R1

15kΩ
D1
1N4001

15 V

5kΩ

Figure 2.3 Positive Biased Clipper

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

R1

15kΩ

D1
1N4001
15 V

5kΩ

Figure 2.4 Negative Biased Clipper

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

1uF

D1 R1
10kΩ
1N4001

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 (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.

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

-Clipper

+ Biased
Clipper
-Biased
Clipper
Clamper

VII. SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS

PEDROSO, ELVIN LOUIE R.

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-K Ω 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
Diod
es 30V
20 (+
V ) (+)

Vi V Desi
n i gn Vout

10V
20
V (-) (-)

2. Perform an analysis of the network on the given figure.

Si1

+20V Vo
Si2

R
4.7kΩ

Determine Vo and ID.