D I O D E A P P L I C AT I O N :

CLIPPERS AND
CLAMPERS
 WAVE SHAPING
A process by which signals or waveforms are altered in passing through the
circuit elements such as diodes, resistors, inductors and capacitors are called
wave shaping.

The wave shaping is done to perform any of the following functions:

• To generate one waveform from the other
• To limit the voltage level of the waveform to some pre-set value and
suppressing all other voltage levels in excess of the pre-set level
• To cut-off the positive and negative portions of the input waveform
• To hold the waveform to a particular d.c. level

Wave shaping is important in most of the signal process systems and is

performed by the circuits known as differentiators, integrators, limiters,
clippers and clampers.
 1. CLIPPERS
• A circuit with which the waveform is shaped by removing or
clipping a portion of the input without distorting the remaining
part of the alternating waveform is called a clipper.
• These circuits find extensive use in radars, digital computers,
radio and television receivers, etc.
• In practice the resistor R is used to limit the current flowing
through the diode when forward biased. In order to get the flat
output waveform at the clipping level, the value of R is chosen so
that it satisfies the conditions 𝑅𝑟 > 𝑅 > 𝑅𝑓 and R = 𝑅𝑓 𝑅𝑟
where 𝑅𝑓 is the forward resistance and 𝑅𝑟 is the reverse
resistance of the diode.
• There are four general categories of clippers viz. positive clipper,
negative clipper, biased clipped and combination clipper.
 A. POSITIVE CLIPPERS
Positive clippers clip the positive half cycle completely and
allow the negative half cycle of the input signal to pass
through.
 A. POSITIVE CLIPPERS
• Series positive clipper: when input voltage is
positive, diode does not conduct, positive half is
clipped off
 A. POSITIVE CLIPPERS
b. Shunt Positive clipper: when input is positive,
diode conducts, voltage drop at the output is zero
i.e. the positive half is clipped off.
 B. NEGATIVE CLIPPERS
• In negative clipping circuit, the diodes are
connected in a direction opposite to that of a
positive clipper. Negative clippers clip the negative
half cycle completely and allow the positive half
cycle of the input signal to pass through.
a. Series negative clipper: diode conducts in the
positive half and appears across the output
 B. NEGATIVE CLIPPERS
b. Shunt negative clipper: during positive half , the
diode is an open circuit i.e. output appears. Output is
zero during the negative half.
 B. NEGATIVE CLIPPERS

Negative clippers
clip off the negative
half completely and
allow the positive
half of the input
signal to pass
Example:
The figure below shows a negative series clipper
in the circuit. What is the peak output voltage?
• Solution
Example:
The negative shunt clipper shown in the figure
has a peak input voltage of +10V. What is the
peak output voltage from the circuit?
Solution
Example:
The positive shunt clipper shown in the figure below has
the input waveform as indicated. Determine the value of
output voltage for each of the input alternations.
 C. BIASED CLIPPER
In some applications it is required to remove a small
portion of positive or negative cycle of the signal
voltage and hence the biased clipper is used. The
name bias is designated because the adjustment of
the clipping level is achieved by adding a biasing
voltage in series with the diode or resistor.
The biased clippers are differentiated into the
following four forms:
i. Biased positive clipper
ii. Biased positive clipper with reverse polarity of
the battery
iii. Biased negative clipper
iv. Biased negative clipper with reverse polarity of
the battery
 i. BIASED POSITIVE CLIPPER
• The diode does not conduct as long as the input
voltage is greater than +𝑉𝑅 and the output remains as
+𝑉𝑅 . When the input voltage becomes less than
+𝑉𝑅 the diode conducts and acts as a short circuit.
Hence all the input signal less than +𝑉𝑅 as well as
negative half cycle of the input wave will appear at the
output.
• The clipping level can be shifted up and down by
varying the bias voltage (+𝑉𝑅 ).
 i. BIASED POSITIVE CLIPPER

Biased Positive clipper (a) series

i. BIASED POSITIVE CLIPPER
 i. BIASED POSITIVE CLIPPER

Biased Positive clipper (b) shunt

i. BIASED POSITIVE CLIPPER
 ii. BIASED POSITIVE CLIPPER WITH
REVERSE POLARITY OF THE BATTERY V R
• The polarity of the battery 𝑉𝑅 is in reverse with the
input and output voltage waveforms. The entire signal
above −𝑉𝑅 is clipped off.
 ii. BIASED POSITIVE CLIPPER WITH
REVERSE POLARITY OF THE BATTERY V R

Biased positive clipper with reversed polarity of battery (a) Series (b) shunt and (c)
output
 iii. BIASED NEGATIVE CLIPPER
• When the input voltage is lesser than −𝑉𝑅 the diode
does not conduct and clipping takes place. In a biased
shunt clipper, the voltage is lesser than −𝑉𝑅 the diode
conducts and clipping takes place. The clipping level
can be shifted up and down by varying the bias voltage
(−𝑉𝑅 )
iii. BIASED NEGATIVE CLIPPER
iv. BIASED NEGATIVE CLIPPER WITH
REVERSE POLARITY OF THE BATTERY V R
• The polarity of the battery is in reverse with the
input and output voltage. Here the entire signal
below +𝑉𝑅 is clipped off.
Biased negative clipper with reversed polarity of battery (a) Series (b) shunt and (c) output
Example:
What will be the output voltage and the voltage
across R when the input voltage is -10V?
• Solution:
During the negative half cycle of the input signal diode is
forward biased. Therefore the diode can be replaced by
its simplified equivalent circuit as shown below.

Since the diode is connected in parallel to the load.

Example: determine the output waveform for the
network in figure. Assume the diode is ideal.
Example:
For the input wave to the clipping circuit in the figure
shown below, find the output waveforms.
Solution:
For Vin>10V, the diode is forward biased and Vout = Vin
– 10V. For example at Vin =5 V, Vout = 5V.
For Vin < 10 V the diode is reverse biased. The
circuit current is zerp and Vout = 0V. For example if
Vin = 5V,Vout = 0V.
The output waveform will be as shown by the figure
below.
Example: determine the output waveform for the
network in figure for the input sinusoidal and square
waveforms. Assume the diode is ideal.
Example:
For the input wave to the clipper in the circuit
below find the output waveform.
Example:

For the input wave to the clipper in the circuit below

find the output waveform.
 D. COMBINATION CLIPPER
• It is a combination of a biased positive clipper and
a biased negative clipper.
• When the input signal voltage is greater than
+𝑉𝑅1 , diode D1 conducts and acts as a closed
switch while D2 is reverse biased and acts as an
open switch. Hence the output voltage cannot
exceed the voltage level of +𝑉𝑅1 during the
positive half cycle.
 D. COMBINATION CLIPPER
• Similarly, when the input signal voltage is less than
−𝑉𝑅2 , diode D2 conducts and D1 is reverse biased.
Hence the output voltage cannot go below the
voltage level of −𝑉𝑅2 during the negative half cycle.
• Clipping levels maybe changed by varying the values
of 𝑉𝑅1 , and 𝑉𝑅2
• If the circuit will clip both the positive and negative
half cycles at the same voltage level, such a
combination clipper is called symmetrical clipper.
Example:
For the input wave to the symmetrical clipper
shown in the figure below find the output voltage
waveform. Assume the barrier voltage of each
diode is 0.6V.
 2. CLAMPERS
• Clamping network shifts a signal to a different d.c.
level i.e. it introduces a d.c. level to an a.c. signal.
Also called a d.c. restorer.
• Used in television receivers
• Has components like resistor, capacitor and diode
 TYPES OF CLAMPERS

The dc component is simply added to the input signal or subtracted from the input signal. A
clamper circuit adds the positive dc component to the input signal to push it to the positive
side. Similarly, a clamper circuit adds the negative dc component to the input signal to push
it to the negative side.
 NEGATIVE CLAMPERS
• During positive half, diode conducts and acts like a
short circuit. Capacitor charges to V volts. The
output V0=0
• For the capacitor, 𝜏 =RC must be large enough so
that the voltage across the capacitor does not
discharge significantly when the diode is not
conducting.
• During the negative half cycle, the diode is open.
The output voltage V0 can be found using
Kirchhoff's Law
−𝑉 − 𝑉 − V0 = 0
V0= - 2V
• During positive half cycle:
During the positive half cycle of the input AC signal, the diode is forward
biased and hence no signal appears at the output. In forward biased
condition, the diode allows electric current through it. This current will
flows to the capacitor and charges it to the peak value of input voltage in
inverse polarity -Vm. As input current or voltage decreases after attaining
its maximum value Vm, the capacitor holds the charge until the diode
remains forward biased.
• During negative half cycle:
During the negative half cycle of the input AC signal, the diode is reverse
biased and hence the signal appears at the output. In reverse biased
condition, the diode does not allow electric current through it. So the
input current directly flows towards the output.
When the negative half cycle begins, the diode is in the non-conducting
state and the charge stored in the capacitor is discharged (released).
Therefore, the voltage appeared at the output is equal to the sum of the
voltage stored in the capacitor (-Vm) and the input voltage (-Vm) {I.e.Vo = -
Vm- Vm = -2Vm} which have the same polarity with each other. As a result,
the signal shifted downwards.
 POSITIVE CLAMPER

The positive clamper is made up of a voltage

source Vi, capacitor C, diode D, and load resistor
RL. So the positive clamper passes the input signal
to the output load when the diode is reverse
biased and blocks the input signal when the diode
is forward biased.
• During negative half cycle:
During the negative half cycle of the input AC signal, the diode is forward biased
and hence no signal appears at the output. In forward biased condition, the diode
allows electric current through it. This current will flows to the capacitor and
charges it to the peak value of input voltage Vm. The capacitor charged in inverse
polarity (positive) with the input voltage. As input current or voltage decreases after
attaining its maximum value -Vm, the capacitor holds the charge until the diode
remains forward biased.
• During positive half cycle:
During the positive half cycle of the input AC signal, the diode is reverse biased
and hence the signal appears at the output. In reverse biased condition, the diode
does not allow electric current through it. So the input current directly flows
towards the output.
When the positive half cycle begins, the diode is in the non-conducting state and
the charge stored in the capacitor is discharged (released). Therefore, the voltage
appeared at the output is equal to the sum of the voltage stored in the capacitor
(Vm) and the input voltage (Vm) { I.e. Vo = Vm+ Vm = 2Vm} which have the same
polarity with each other. As a result, the signal shifted upwards.
The peak to peak amplitude of the input signal is 2Vm, similarly the peak to peak
amplitude of the output signal is also 2Vm. Therefore, the total swing of the output
is same as the total swing of the input.
 BIASED CLAMPERS
• additional shift of DC level. In such cases, biased clampers are
used. The working principle of the biased clampers is almost
similar to the unbiased clampers
Example: The input signal with the waveform
shown in the figure below is applied to the
clamper circuit, sketch the waveform of the
output signal, assume diode is ideal.
The input signal with the waveform shown in the
figure below is applied to the clamper circuit,
sketch the waveform of the output signal, assume
ideal diode.