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Topic 2

CLIPPERS AND CLAMPERS

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Overview

This topic covers the operation of clipper and clamper diode waveshaping circuits.

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Topic Learning Outcome

LO 2.

Describe the operation of diode waveshaping circuits.

Assessment Criteria LO 2.1. Describe the operation of the following diode waveshaping circuits: LO 2.1.1. clippers and LO 2.1.2. clampers.

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Diode Wave Shaping

Diode applications are not limited to rectification or voltage multiplication. The conduction, zener and avalanche characteristics of the diode make it an ideal device for wave shaping. There are two types of wave shaping circuits: clippers and clampers.

Clipper Circuits
Clipper circuits are named because they have the ability to clip off a portion of the input signal without distorting the remaining part of the input waveform. A series clipper and parallel clipper circuit are shown in Figure 21.

Figure 21 Clipper Circuits The series clipper circuit has the diode in series with the output; the parallel clipper circuit has the diode in a branch parallel to the output. There is no limit to the input wave shapes that can be applied to clipper circuits.

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Figure 22 shows a parallel clipper circuit with a 10 Vpk-pk triangular input waveform.

Figure 22 Clipper Circuit Waveforms

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Note in Figure 22 that during the positive half cycle, diode CR1 is forward biased. With CR1 forward biased, the output voltage of the clipper circuit equals the forward voltage drop of the diode. As CR1 is a silicon diode VF = 0.7 V. Note that any voltage greater than 0.7 V is shunted by CR1. As a result, only a portion of the positive half cycle is passed through to the output. It could be said that the 'limiting point' of the circuit is set at 0.7 V. With CR1 reverse biased, the entire input signal is passed through to the output. By adding a DC voltage source in series with the diode, the bias acting on the diode can be independently set. Biasing of the diode enables control over the portion of the input signal passed to the output. This effectively shifts the limiting point of the circuit.

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Figure 23 illustrates the concept of applying a 1 V bias to a parallel limiting circuit.

Figure 23 Clipper Circuit Waveforms Note that during the positive half cycle, CR1 is only forward biased when the input signal is greater than +1.7 V. At +1.7 V, the input signal overcomes both the barrier voltage of CR1 and the bias potential VB. Any portion of the input signal above +1.7 V is shunted by CR1. When the input signal decreases below +1.7 V, CR1 is reverse biased and all of the input signal is passed to the output. The limiting point of the circuit is now set at +1.7 V.

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Figure 24 shows the limiting effect for a bias voltage of -2 V.

Figure 24 Clipper Circuit Bias Voltage Limiting CR1 will remain forward biased until the potential at the anode is -1.3 V. As the input decreases below -1.3 V, CR1 will be reverse biased allowing the input waveform to pass through to the output. The limiting point of the circuit is now -1.3 V. The previous examples are known as positive clipper circuits. They are so named because the positive half cycle of the output waveform has been clipped or altered from the original input signal. Figure 25 shows a negative parallel clipper circuit with a 4 V bias voltage.

Figure 25 Negative Parallel Clipper Circuits Note the negative half cycle has been clipped off in the output waveform. Diode CR1 remains in the forward biased condition until the input signal increases above 3.3 V. The limiting point of the circuit is set at 3.3 V. By adding a DC bias to a series clipper circuit, the input waveform can again be altered.

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Figure 26 shows a negative series clipper circuit with a DC bias of 5 V.

Figure 26 Negative Series Clipper with DC Bias Note that with the biasing voltage VB in series with the input voltage, the resulting output signal has shifted in the DC level. For example, in Figure 26 when the input voltage is +10 V, the voltage at the anode of CR1 is +15 V. This is because the biasing voltage VB is summed with the input waveform voltage. Subtracting the forward voltage drop of CR1, results in a peak output voltage of +14.3 V. When the anode voltage of CR1 falls below 0.7 V, CR1 is reverse biased and the output voltage will be zero. This occurs when the input voltage decreases past -4.3 V. A result of the biasing voltage being in series with the input signal is a DC voltage shift of 5 V at the anode of CR1 over the entire positive and negative half cycles of the input. The forward voltage drop of the CR1 results in a 4.3 V shift at the output.

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Figure 27 shows the DC voltage shift for the circuit in Figure 26 in detail.

Figure 27 DC Voltage Shift Waveforms By reversing the orientation of the diode in a series clipper circuit, the positive half cycle can be clipped from the input signal. This circuit is called a positive series clipper. Figure 28 shows a positive series clipper circuit with a 5 V bias.

Figure 28 Positive Series Clipper with DC Bias Note that CR1 remains reverse biased until the input signal decreases below -5.7 V. Therefore only the portion of the signal less than -5.7 V will be passed through CR1 to the output. Once again, observe the effective DC voltage shift in the output waveform.

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Figure 29 details a summary of the configurations and expected outputs for clipper circuits.

Figure 29 Clipper Circuits

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Clamping Circuits
A clamping circuit is a circuit that will reposition or clamp the input waveform to a defined DC level. Clamping circuits consist of a capacitor, a diode and a resistor. An independent DC biasing voltage can also be employed to provide an additional voltage shift. Clamping circuits are also known as DC restorers. Figure 210 illustrates a clamping circuit.

Figure 210 Clamping Circuit To produce good clamping of the input waveform, the charge time of capacitor C1 must be very small. This is achieved by CR1. With CR1 forward biased resistor R1 is bypassed. This results in a very small RC time constant and allows C1 to charge very quickly. When CR1 is reverse biased, the magnitude of the RC time constant must be large enough to ensure that capacitor C1 does not discharge during the period that CR1 is reverse biased. A large RC time constant is achieved by the combination of R1 and C1.

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The circuit shown in Figure 211 will clamp the input waveform to zero volts. For the analysis of this circuit, assume that CR1 is an ideal diode (VF = 0 V).

Figure 211 Clamping Circuit Waveforms During the positive half cycle, CR1 is forward biased. With CR1 conducting, capacitor C1 will charge up to the peak input voltage (in this case 10 V). Capacitor C1 will charge up very quickly because of the short time constant produced by CR1. The voltage output during the positive half cycle will be equal to the forward voltage drop of CR1. For the ideal diode this equals zero volts. During the negative half cycle CR1 is reverse biased. Capacitor C1 remains fully charged because of the long time constant formed with R1. The capacitor's -10 V is combined with the -10 V input signal and the resulting output voltage will be twice the negative voltage input. It is important to note that the capacitor acts essentially as a battery in series with the input.

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For clamping circuits, the total swing in the output is equal to the total swing of the input. Only the DC reference level has changed. Adding a DC bias to a clamping circuit will provide additional shift in the DC reference level of the output. In analysing clamper circuits with bias, it is easier to first examine the cycle in which the diode is forward biased. For the circuit shown in Figure 212, diode CR1 is forward biased in the negative half cycle of the input signal.

Figure 212 Clamping Circuit and Waveforms

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As CR1 is an ideal diode, when the input voltage decreases to -4 V, it will conduct. This will charge C1 to a voltage of -6 V (the remaining voltage of the input signal). The output voltage is equal to the biasing voltage of VB (-4 V). Remember that the ideal diode has no forward voltage drop. Examining the positive half cycle, diode CR1 is reverse biased. The 6 V charge stored in capacitor C1 is summed with the input voltage. The resulting output voltage is therefore +16 V. Note that the voltage swing is still 20 V; only the reference level has changed. If the diode in Figure 212 was a silicon diode, the forward voltage drop would have to be taken into account. The voltage output waveform for a silicon diode would have the positive half cycle clamped to +15.3 V and the negative half cycle clamped to -4.7 V. The steps involved in analysing clamper circuits are: always determine the forward biasing cycle first, treat the diodes initially as ideal diodes and adjust the ideal voltage output for the practical diode forward voltage drop.

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Figure 213 illustrates a summary of the configurations and expected outputs for clamper circuits.

Figure 213 Clamping Circuits

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Practical Exercise

Clipper and Clampers

Overview The following practical exercises will reinforce the theory on clipper and clampers and will form part of the performance assessment for this module. Procedure 1 Semiconductor Fundamentals Diode Wave Shaping and Zener Regulation Exercise 1

Equipment LabVolt Classroom Equipment

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Trainee Activity

1.

Identify the type of diode waveshaping circuit and for the listed diode types, draw the resulting VOUT outputs for the supplied VIN input. an ideal a germanium a silicon Label all peak voltages. A. Circuit type: _________________________________________

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2.

Identify the type of diode waveshaping circuit and for the listed diode types, draw the resulting VOUT outputs for the supplied VIN input. an ideal a germanium a silicon Label all peak voltages. A. Circuit type: _______________________________________________

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3.

Identify the type of diode waveshaping circuit and for the listed diode types, draw the resulting VOUT outputs for the supplied VIN input. an ideal a germanium a silicon Label all peak voltages. A. Circuit type: ___________________________________________

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4.

Identify the type of diode waveshaping circuit and for the listed diode types, draw the resulting VOUT outputs for the supplied VIN input. an ideal a germanium a silicon Label all peak voltages. A. Circuit type: __________________________________________

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5.

Identify the type of diode waveshaping circuit and for the listed diode types, draw the resulting VOUT outputs for the supplied VIN input. an ideal a germanium a silicon Label all peak voltages. A. Circuit type: __________________________________________

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6.

Identify the type of diode waveshaping circuit and for the listed diode types, draw the resulting VOUT outputs for the supplied VIN input. an ideal a germanium a silicon Label all peak voltages. A. Circuit type: ________________________________________

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