Middle Technical University Electronics Lab.

Electrical Engineering Technical College 2nd Stage

Electrical Power Technical Engineering Dept. Mohammed D. Altamemi

Experiment - 6
Clipper and Clamper Circuits
6-1 Object:
To steady the diode applications in a clipping and clamping circuits.

6-2 Theory:
This experiment studies the applications of the diode in the clipping & clamping
operations.

6-2-1 Clipping Circuits:

Clipper circuits have the ability to clip off a portion of the input signal
without distorting the remaining part of the alternating waveform, see figure (6-1).
The half wave rectifier of the previous experiment is an example of the simplest form
of diode clipper. Depending on the orientation of thy diode, the positive or negative
region of the input signal is clipped off. There are two general categories of
clippers: series and parallel. The series clipper configuration is defined as one where
the diode is in series with the load, while the parallel variety has the diode in branch
parallel to the load. Clippers are useful for protecting circuits from exceeding various
voltages (either positive or negative).

Figure (6-1) Clipper Circuit

6-2-2 Clampers:

Sometimes you may want to leave the waveform unchanged, but modify its DC
level up or down. To accomplish this, you use a clamper circuit. The beauty of
clampers is that they can adjust the DC position of the waveform without knowing
what the waveform actually is. The positive clamper shown in the figure (6-2) below
works as follows:

In the positive half of the first cycle, the voltage across the capacitor cannot
change instantaneously; therefore as the voltage on the input moves up, the voltage on
the top of the diode has to follow this voltage.
Middle Technical University Electronics Lab.
Electrical Engineering Technical College 2nd Stage
Electrical Power Technical Engineering Dept. Mohammed D. Altamemi

This reverse biases the diode causing it to act as an open, thus the output voltage
follows the input voltage. As the input voltage drops into the negative half of the first
cycle, the diode is going to be forward biased. In the positive half of the first cycle,
the voltage across the capacitor cannot change instantaneously; therefore as the
voltage on the input moves up, the voltage on the top of the diode has to follow this
voltage.

Figure (6-2) Clamper Circuit

This reverse biases the diode causing it to act as an open, thus the output voltage
follows the input voltage. As the input voltage drops into the negative half of the first
cycle, the diode is going to be forward biased. This causes the diode to behave like a
wire, which cannot dissipate any voltage. This causes to inter-related effects. First, the
output voltage is held steady at 0V. Second, because there are 0V dissipated across
the diode (and resistor) all of the voltage has to be dissipated across the capacitor.
This charges the capacitor to the magnitude of the input signal.

Figure (6-3) input and output voltage of clamper

6-3 Procedures:
A. Clipping Circuit:
1. Connect the circuit shown in Figure (6-4).
2. Ensure that the variable DC is at minimum and the source is at 10VP.P.
Middle Technical University Electronics Lab.
Electrical Engineering Technical College 2nd Stage
Electrical Power Technical Engineering Dept. Mohammed D. Altamemi

Figure (6-4) Circuit of Voltage regulator

3. Observe and Sketch the input and output waveforms.

4. Increase the variable DC voltage to -5V, and notice to what voltage are the
positive peaks chopped off, sketch the waveforms
B. Clamping Circuit:
1. Connect the circuit shown in Figure (6-5).

Figure (6-5) Clamper Circuit

2. Ensure the variable DC is at minimum.

3. Set the square wave generator frequency to 50 Hz and its output amplitude
to 10VP.P .
4. Observe and sketch the input waveform with the variable DC at minimum,
Sketch the output waveform.

6-4 Discussion:
1. What happened if the DC voltage in the clamping circuit is replaced by an a.c
source?
2. What is the relationship between the clipping level and the DC voltage?
3. If the variable DC source is reversed, how does this affect the clipping?
Middle Technical University Electronics Lab.
Electrical Engineering Technical College 2nd Stage
Electrical Power Technical Engineering Dept. Mohammed D. Altamemi

4. Discuss how lowering of RL on the clamper circuit affects the output.

5. Does the input wave shape of the clamper affect the value of DC shift on the
output wave?
6. If the peek input voltage 10V, sketch the output of the circuit shown below.

Figure (6-6) clipper circuit