WAVESHAPING CIRCUITS

CLIPPERS
Waveshaping circuits-Clippers-Unbiased positive and negative clippers, Biased positive and
negative clippers, Double ended clippers. Clampers: Positive and negative clampers, Negative
and positive biased clampers. Voltage doublers (half wave) and triplers.

Clipper circuit is a diode network which has the ability to “clip” off a portion of the input signal
without distorting the remaining part of the alternating waveform. Clipper circuit is also known
as limiter circuit. Other names are slicer and amplitude selector.
A simple diode clipper consists of one resistor and diode. Clipper circuits can be used to
clip off either the positive or negative portion of the input signal. This can be achieved by
connecting the diode in the required direction.
Depending on the position of the diode, there are two general categories of clippers. They are
1)Series clippers and 2)Parallel or shunt clippers.
Series clipper is defined as that clipper where the diode is in series with the load where as the
parallel clippers are those in which the diode is in parallel with the load(diode is connected
across the load).
The clipper which removes (clips off) the positive part of the input signal is known as a
positive clipper. In a similar way, clipper which removes (clips off) the negative part of the input
signal is known as a negative clipper. Further a
dc supply can be added to the clipper circuit
and can get pronounced effect on the output of
the clipper. A clipper circuit to which a dc
supply is added is known as a biased clipper.
Note: In all our discussions, we are
considering the ideal diode. An ideal diode
conducts when forward biased and does not
conduct when reverse biased. The
characteristics of an ideal diode is as shown.
Unbiased clippers:
1)Series clipper(Unbiased negative clipper):

The circuit makes use of diode D and a resistor R. Let a sinusoidal input vin be applied as the
input to it.

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1)During the positive half cycle of the ac input voltage,
the diode is forward biased and it acts as a short circuit
as shown. Current flows through R.
Applying KVL, we get -Vin+VO = 0.
Therefore VO = Vin
2)During negative half cycle, the diode D is reverse biased. Assuming diode to be ideal, diode
acts as an open circuit as shown.
No current flows through R. Output voltage
Vo = 0 volt.
3) Thus this circuit clips the negative half cycle of the
input. The circuit action can be summarised in the
table below
Input Vin Diode condition Output Vo
The input and output waveforms of the clipper
+ve half cycle Forward biased Vin
circuits are as shown.
-ve half cycle Reverse biased 0
Note: If the diode position in the above circuit is
reversed, positive half cycle of the input will be clipped. The circuit is an unbiased positive
clipper.
Parallel(shunt) clipper
(Unbiased positive clipper): The circuit of a simple parallel clipper is as shown. Diode D is
connected across the load.

1)During the positive half cycle of the ac input voltage,

the diode is forward biased and it acts as a short circuit
as shown. Current flows through R.
VO = 0.
2)During negative half cycle, the diode D is pressurised to go into the OFF state. Current through
the diode is zero.
Hence vo = vin.
3) The circuit action can be summarised in the table
below.
4)The input and output waveforms are as shown.
Circuit is an unbiased positive clipper. Input Vin Diode condition Output Vo

Note : 1)If the diode is reversed, then circuit +ve half cycle Forward biased 0

becomes unbiased negative clipper. -ve half cycle Reverse biased vin
2)At the junction of resistor and diode in a

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clipper circuit(series or shunt), if the diodes negative (cathode) is towards the junction then the
circuit is called as negative clipper. the diodes positive (anode) is towards the junction then the
circuit is called as positive clipper.

CLAMPERS
Sometimes it becomes necessary to add or subtract a dc to or from an alternating signal,
so that the signal will have resultant dc content. Also sometimes it may be required to shift an
alternating signal to any desirable dc level. The circuit that does this job is known as clamping
circuit or clamper. It is also known as dc restorer.
The clamper must have a capacitor, a diode and resistive element. It can also employ a dc
supply to introduce an additional shift. The signal can be clamped positively or negatively.

In figure1 the negative half cycle of the input signal is clamped at the zero level which is
called the clamping level. The total dc content of the signal is +V volts and the signal is said to
be positively clamped
In figure2 the positive half cycle of the input signal is clamped at the zero level which is
the clamping level. The total dc content of the signal is -V volts and the signal is said to be
negatively clamped.
The following steps must be followed while analyzing clamping circuit
1. Start the analysis of the clamping network by considering that part of the input
signal that will forward bias the diode
2. During the period the diode is forward biased the capacitor will charge to the peak
value
3. During the period the diode is OFF the capacitor will hold on to its charge and
hence voltage
4. The swing of the output must match the swing of the input signal

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Positive Clamper: Circuit consists of a diode, resistor and a capacitor connected as shown along
with the i/p and o/p waveforms.

This network will clamp the input signal positively.(to

the zero level for an ideal diode).During the negative
half cycle of the input, diode turns ON as shown in
figure.
At the negative peak the capacitor will charge to Vm
volts with the polarity shown.
During the positive half cycle the diode is OFF as shown in figure . As the RC time constant is
made much larger than the period of the incoming signal the capacitor remains fully charged
during the OFF time. i.e. the capacitor acts like a battery of Vm volts.
Referring to Fig 3 at the negative peak, we write
-Vm - Vm +Vo = 0. i.e Vo = 2Vm
In general, Vo= vin + Vm
when vin = +Vm, Vo = +2Vm
when vin = 0, Vo = +Vm
when vin = -Vm, Vo = 0
Thus from the output waveform drawn we find
that the output signal is a positively clamped signal
Negative clamper: Circuit consists of a diode, resistor and a capacitor connected as shown along
with the i/p and o/p waveforms

This network will clamp the input signal negatively

During the positive half cycle of the input, diode turns
ON as shown in figure 2
At the positive peak the capacitor will charge to Vm
volts with the polarity shown.
During the negative half cycle the diode is OFF as

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shown in figure 3. As the RC time constant is made much larger than the period of the incoming
signal the capacitor remains fully charged during the OFF time. i.e. the capacitor acts like a
battery of Vm volts.
Referring to Fig 3 we write
+Vm +Vm+ Vo = 0. i.e Vo = -2Vm
In general, Vo= -(Vin + Vm)
when vin = +Vm, Vo = 0
when vin = 0, Vo = -Vm
when vin = -Vm, Vo = -2Vm
Thus, from the output waveform drawn we find that the output signal is a negatively
clamped signal.