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Electronic Devices Experiment 2

This experiment tested limiter circuits with different loads. Diode limiter circuits were constructed using a function generator, multimeter, and oscilloscope. The circuits were tested with no load and with a variable load. With no load, the circuits demonstrated positive and negative limiting as expected by changing the diode orientation. However, with the load connected, the limiting level set by the trimmer potentiometer Vo was dependent on the load resistance for the tests where Vo was set to -5V, 0V, and 5V. Stabilizing the reference voltage with capacitors improved the limiting performance.

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125 views4 pages

Electronic Devices Experiment 2

This experiment tested limiter circuits with different loads. Diode limiter circuits were constructed using a function generator, multimeter, and oscilloscope. The circuits were tested with no load and with a variable load. With no load, the circuits demonstrated positive and negative limiting as expected by changing the diode orientation. However, with the load connected, the limiting level set by the trimmer potentiometer Vo was dependent on the load resistance for the tests where Vo was set to -5V, 0V, and 5V. Stabilizing the reference voltage with capacitors improved the limiting performance.

Uploaded by

ArvinAL
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Experiment 2

Diode Limiters

Objectives

1. Limit circuits tested with different loads

Instruments
 multimeter
 function generator
 oscilloscope
 MCM3

Basic Theory
Limiter circuits
A limiter circuits is one in which the output is limited to some fixed, positive ,or negative value (or even
both). Figure 1 shows a limiter circuit with a limit which can be varied.

fig. 1
Supposing the load RL has infinite resistance, and that the internal resistance of the diode is zero in forward
bias and infinite in reverse biasing. The behavior of the limiter can then be explained as follows:
- taking VG as positive, the diode conducts if (VG - Vo) is greater than the threshold voltage Vs. The
voltage across the diode will stay at this voltage while (VG - Vo) is more than Vs. During all this time
the voltage present across the load RL is (Vo + Vs)
- however when (VG - Vo) is less than Vs, the diode does not conduct, there is no voltage drop across R
and all the voltage VG appears across the load
- this circuit is one with a positive limit. To obtain a negative limiter, simply reverse the diode
- the circuit supplying the voltage Vo consists of a trimmer and two dc power supplies, enabling V o to
vary from positive to negative values.
(these circuits are also known as «clippers», as they cut the top or bottom parts of a signal off).
Experiment Procedures
1. Disconnect all jumpers on MCM3
2. Set all switches S "OFF"

Limiting circuits (with no load)


3. Connect jumpers J32, J38, to produce the circuit of figure
2
4. apply a sine signal with amplitude 20Vpp, zero average value
and frequency of 200Hz, using a function generator

fig. 2

5. Observe the behavior of voltage VRL as a function of the position of the trimmer RV4
6. determine if the circuit has negative or positive limiting
7. Turn switch S7 "ON"

What is the new limiting level of the circuit?


1 12 V
2 6V
3 -5 V
4 5V
5 none of the results listed
6 0V
8. Turn switch S7 "OFF"
9. disconnect jumper J38 and connect J37
10. changing RV4, determine the limit of this circuit, displaying the voltage on channel 2 of the
oscilloscope
In the first case, the diode biasing produces a positive limit and in the second case a negative limit. You
can observe that the voltage VRL is attenuated compared to the power supply voltage. This is due to the input
resistance of the oscilloscope which is not infinite and has a value of about 1 Megohm.
11. adjust RV4 to obtain a voltage Vo of 10 V
12. check the way that the negative limit changes. Although resistor R 5 is much higher than the
forward resistance of the diode there is an error on the limit. The reason is as follows: while the diode is
non-conducting, the reference voltage remains stable. But when it starts conducting, the voltage drops as
the amplitude of the ac input signal increases. This is due to the trimmer RV4 which is not a pure
voltage generator, but has internal resistance, depends on the trimmer resistance and the position of its
«wiper».
13. To overcome this, it is better to stabilize the reference voltage using capacitors with suitably
large values
14. connect the capacitors C7 and C8, with J35, as in figure 3
fig.3
15. Observe the reference voltage as RV4 is varied, and compare it with the previous situation.

Limit circuits with a load connected


16. Connect jumpers J32, J37, J35, J39 to produce the circuit of figure 4
17. apply a sine signal of amplitude 20Vpp, zero average value and frequency 200Hz, using the
function generator

fig. 4
18. adjust the negative limit Vo to - 5 V with RV4
19. vary the load with RV5 and check the behavior of voltage VRc
20. repeat measurements for Vo = O V, and then for Vo = +5 V
Is the limit set by Vo dependent on the load resistance?
1 yes, for these three tests and for all other values.
2 no, it is independent of the load
3 no, Vo does not vary, only the output signal amplitude varies
4 yes, when Vo = 0 V
5 yes, when Vo = 0 V and the load Rc = 50 k

Discussion of results
Conclusion and Recommendation

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