University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore

LAB 8: DIODE AS A CLIPPER CIRCUIT

Name : Humayun Ashraf Date :

Reg-No: 2016-EE-396
OBJECTIVES:
 To study diode as positive clipper, negative clipper and both waves clipper.
 To study diode as positive biased clipper, negative biased clipper and
different biased level clipper.

SUGGESTED READING:
 Class Lectures 5, 6
 Chapter 3: “Diode Applications”, Introductory Electronic Devices and Circuits by
Paynter.
 Datasheet : 1N4007 rectifier diode
 https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/diode/diode-clipping-circuits.html
 https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/semiconductors/chpt-3/clipper-circuits/
 http://www.falstad.com/circuit/e-diodelimit.html

Please read through all the suggested reading before you come to lab.

EQUIPMENT AND COMPONENTS:

 Basic Circuits Training Board
 1N4007 Diode
 Jumper Wires
 Palm Scope / DMM
 Voltage Transformer/Function Generator
 Oscilloscope
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Diode Clipping:

The Diode Clipper, also known as a Diode Limiter, is a wave shaping circuit that takes an input
waveform and clips or cuts off its top half, bottom half or both halves together.
This clipping of the input signal produces an output waveform that resembles a flattened version
of the input. For example, the half-wave rectifier is a clipper circuit, since all voltages below
zero are eliminated.

MCT-137: ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

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Department of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, U.E.T Lahore
LAB 8
 University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore

The following are the types of diode clipping:

 Positive Clipper Circuit
 Negative Clipper Circuit
 Both Half Cycles Clipping

Positive Clipper Circuit:

Fig: Positive Diode Clipper Circuit

In this diode clipping circuit, the diode is forward biased (anode more positive than cathode)
during the positive half cycle of the sinusoidal input waveform. For the diode to become forward
biased, it must have the input voltage magnitude greater than +0.7 volts (0.3 volts for a
germanium diode).
During the negative half cycle, the diode is reverse biased (cathode more positive than anode)
blocking current flow through itself and as a result has no effect on the negative half of the
sinusoidal voltage which passes to the load unaltered. Thus the diode limits the positive half of
the input waveform and is known as a positive clipper circuit.

Fig: Positive Clipper Output

MCT-137: ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

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Department of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, U.E.T Lahore
LAB 8
 University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore

Negative Clipper Circuit:

Fig: Negative Diode Clipper Circuit

Here the reverse is true. The diode is forward biased during the negative half cycle of the
sinusoidal waveform and limits or clips it to –0.7 volts while allowing the positive half cycle to
pass unaltered when reverse biased. As the diode limits the negative half cycle of the input
voltage it is therefore called a negative clipper circuit.

Fig: Negative Clipper Output

MCT-137: ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

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Department of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, U.E.T Lahore
LAB 8
 University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore

Clipping of Both Half Cycles:

Fig: Both Half Cycles Clipper Circuit

If we connected two diodes in inverse parallel as shown, then both the positive and negative half
cycles would be clipped as diode D1 clips the positive half cycle of the sinusoidal input
waveform while diode D2 clips the negative half cycle. Then diode clipping circuits can be used
to clip the positive half cycle, the negative half cycle or both.

Fig: Both Half Cycles Clipper Output

Biased Diode Clipping:

The following are the types of Biased Diode Clipping:
 Positive Bias Diode Clipping
 Negative Bias Diode Clipping
 Different Bias levels Clipping

Positive Bias Diode Clipping:

To produce diode clipping circuits for voltage waveforms at different levels, a bias
voltage, VBIAS is added in series with the diode to produce a combination clipper. The voltage
across the series combination must be greater than VBIAS + 0.7V before the diode becomes
sufficiently forward biased to conduct. Any anode voltage levels above the bias point are clipped
off.

MCT-137: ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

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Department of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, U.E.T Lahore
LAB 8
 University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore

Fig: Positive Bias Diode Clipper Circuit

Fig: Positive Bias Diode Clipper Output

Negative Bias Diode Clipping:

Likewise, by reversing the diode and the battery bias voltage, when a diode conducts the
negative half cycle of the output waveform is held to a level –VBIAS – 0.7V.

Fig: Negative Bias Diode Clipper Circuit

MCT-137: ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

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Department of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, U.E.T Lahore
LAB 8
 University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore

Fig: Negative Bias Diode Clipper Output

Different Bias Levels Clipping:

A variable diode clipping or diode limiting level can be achieved by varying the bias voltage of
the diodes. If both the positive and the negative half cycles are to be clipped, then two biased
clipping diodes are used. But for both positive and negative diode clipping, the bias voltage need
not be the same.

Fig: Different Bias Levels Clipper Circuit

When the voltage of the positive half cycle reaches +4.7 V, diode D1 conducts and limits the
waveform at +4.7 V. Diode D2 does not conduct until the voltage reaches –6.7 V. Therefore, all
positive voltages above +4.7 V and negative voltages below –6.7 V are automatically clipped.
If the diode clipping levels are set too low or the input waveform is too great then the elimination
of both waveform peaks could end up with a square-wave shaped waveform.

Fig: Different Bias Levels Clipper Output

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Department of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, U.E.T Lahore
LAB 8
 University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore

Observations:

Vpp = _________
R = __________

Attach the pictures of the corresponding output waveforms.

Positive Clipper Output:

Negative Clipper Output:

MCT-137: ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

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Department of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, U.E.T Lahore
LAB 8
 University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore

REVIEW QUESTIONS:
Q: What are the differences between series and shunt diode clippers?
Ans:
In series clippers, the diode is connected in series with the output load resistance. In shunt
clippers, the diode is connected in parallel with the output load resistance.
Shunt positive clipper with bias. Shunt negative clipper

Q: State the drawbacks of series and shunt diode clippers

Ans:
In the series clippers, when diode is in off 'position, there should be no transmission of the input
signal to output. But in the case of high frequency signals transmission takes place
through diode capacitance which is undesirable

Q: What are the applications of clipping circuits?

Ans:
Diode Clipping Circuits are used to eliminate amplitude noise or voltage spikes, voltage
regulation or to produce new waveforms from an existing signal such as squaring off the peaks
of a sinusoidal waveform to obtain a rectangular waveform as seen above

MCT-137: ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

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Department of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, U.E.T Lahore
LAB 8