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DEPARTMENT OF AVIONICS ENGINEERING

SUBJECT : Electronics Devices and Circuits Lab
SUBJECT CODE : 208159
LAB NO : 05

DEADLINE: 1300 Hrs, 25th March 2024

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 25th March 2024

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Electronic Devices and Circuits Lab

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Title: Diode Applications Clippers Objectives:

After completing this exercise, the students will be able to,

1. Observe the working of a diode as clipper.

2. Construct and analyze the diode clipper circuits.

Equipment Required:

1. Digital Multimeter
2. Oscilloscope
3. Bread Board
4. Diode (1N4007)
5. Resistors 1k
6. Trainer set with 9V ac source

Theory/Background:
Diode circuits, called limiters or clippers, are sometimes used to clip off portions of signal
voltages above or below certain levels. Another type of diode circuit, called a clamper, is
used to add or restore a dc level to an electrical signal.

There are four kinds of Clippers

➢ Series Clipper ➢ Parallel Clipper • Positive or shunt Clipper • Negative or shunt

Clipper ➢ Biased Series Clipper ➢ Biased Parallel Clipper

Clipper circuits:
Diode circuits, called limiters or clippers, are used to clip off portions of signal voltage
above or below certain levels. This action is useful in signal shaping, circuit protection and
communications.
A diode positive limiter (also called clipper) is a circuit that limits or clips the positive part
of the input voltage. As the anode voltage goes above the voltage level at cathod, the diode

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becomes forward biased and conducts current. Clippers remove either the positive or the
negative parts of a waveform.

Series Positive Clipper

Fig-1 Positive Clipper

Figure 1 shows a positive clipper. When the input signal is positive, the diode is reverse
biased and appears to be an open circuit. Hence zero voltage appears across the load
resistor. Ideally, the output voltage is zero. When the input signal is negative, the diode is
on, and negative signal appears across the output. The series resistor 𝑅𝑠 is kept much
smaller than the load resistor 𝑅𝐿 by design.
𝑹𝑳
𝑽𝒐𝒖𝒕 = ( ) 𝑽𝒊𝒏
𝑹𝟏 + 𝑹𝑳

If 𝑹𝟏 is small compared to 𝑹𝑳, then 𝑽 𝒐𝒖𝒕 = 𝑽𝒊𝒏

.
Procedure
Series Positive Clipping Circuit:

• Connect the circuit shown in Fig-1.

• Switch ON the supply
• Peaks chopped off, sketch the waveforms.

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Fig-2

CIRCUIT:

FOR ALL CIRCUITS:

R1=1.75KΩ
RL= 2.15KΩ
Frequency= 50Hz
V1 = 20 Vpp (AC)
V2 = 2.1 V (DC)
V3 = 2.1 V (DC)

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INPUT FOR CIRCUIT: OUTPUT OF THE CIRCUIT:

INPUT WAVEFORM OUTPUT WAVEFORM

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LTSPICE CIRCUIT:

INPUT WAVEFORM

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OUTPUT WAVEFORM:

Series Negative Clipping Circuit

Reverse the orientation of the diode in the previous circuit (Fig- 3) to obtain a negative
series clipper.

Fig-3 Series Negative Clipping Circuit

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LTSPICE CIRCUIT:

INPUT WAVEFORM

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OUTPUT WAVEFORM

II. Parallel or Shunt Clipping Parallel Positive Clipper

A parallel clipper circuit uses the same diode theory and circuit operation. A resistor and
diode are connected in series with the input signal and the output signal is obtained across
the diode. The output is in parallel with the diode hence named parallel or shunts positive
clipper circuit. The diode acts as a closed switch when the input voltage is positive (i.e Vi
> 0) and as an open switch when the input voltage is negative(i.e Vi < 0) .

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LTSPICE CIRCUIT:

INPUT WAVEFORM

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OUTPUT WAVEFORM

Parallel Negative Clipper

The negative clipper has allowed to pass the positive half cycle of the input voltage and
clipped the negative half cycle completely.

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CIRCUIT(NEGATIVE CLIPPER):

INPUT WAVEFORM

OUTPUT WAVEFORM

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III. Biased Positive and Negative Clipper

A biased clipper comes in handy when a small portion of positive or negative half cycles
of the signal voltage is to be removed. When a small portion of the negative half cycle is to
be removed, it is called a biased negative clipper.

Biased Negative Clipper with opposite polarity

When the input signal voltage is positive, the diode ‘D’ is reverse-biased. This causes it to
act as an open-switch. Thus the entire positive half cycle appears across the load, as
illustrated by output waveform.
When the input signal voltage is negative but does not exceed battery the voltage ‘V’, the
diode ‘D’ remains reverse-biased and most of the input voltage appears across the output.
When during the negative half cycle of input signal, the signal voltage becomes more than
the battery voltage V, the diode D is forward biased and so conducts heavily.
The output voltage is equal to ‘- V’ and stays at ‘- V’ as long as the magnitude of the input
signal voltage is greater than the magnitude of the battery voltage, ‘V’.

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Thus a biased negative clipper removes input voltage when the input signal voltage
becomes greater than the battery voltage.
LTSPICE CIRCUIT:

INPUT WAVEFORM

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OUTPUT WAVEFORM

Biased Positive Clipper with opposite polarity

Clipping can be changed by reversing the battery and diode connections.

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LTSPICE CIRCUIT:

INPUT WAVEFORM

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OUTPUT WAVEFORM

Biased Clipper with same polarity of reference voltage

The positive and negative limiter can be modified to limit the output voltage to the portion
of the input voltage waveform above VBIAS -0.7V and below VBIAS + 0.7V.

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POSITIVE CLIPPER with same polarity of reference voltage

CIRCUIT:

INPUT WAVEFORM

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OUTPUT WAVEFORM

NEGATIVE CLIPPER:

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INPUT WAVEFORM:

OUTPUT WAVEFORM:

IV. Combination Clipper

When a portion of both positive and negative of each half cycle of the input voltage is to
be clipped (or removed), combination clipper is employed.

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For positive input voltage signal when input voltage exceeds battery voltage ‘+ V 1‘ diode
D1 conducts heavily while diode ‘D2‘ is reversed biased and so voltage ‘+ V1‘ appears
across the output. This output voltage ‘+ V1‘ stays as long as the input signal voltage
exceeds ‘+ V1‘.
On the other hand for the negative input voltage signal, the diode ‘D1‘ remains reverse
biased and diode ‘D2‘ conducts heavily only when input voltage exceeds battery voltage
‘V2‘ in magnitude.
Thus during the negative half cycle the output stays at ‘- V2‘ so long as the input signal
voltage is greater than ‘-V2‘.

CIRCUIT:

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INPUT;

OUTPUT:

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INPUT WAVEFORM:

OUTPUT WAVEFORM:

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ON LTSPICE:

INPUT WAVEFORM:

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OUTPUT WAVEFORM:

CONCLUSION:

The lab on diode clipper circuits explores the use of diodes to limit voltage levels in electronic
circuits. We have analyzed how diodes clip input signals and observe the effects of diode
orientation and component values on clipping levels. Key takeaways include understanding
diode clipper functionality, recognizing signal distortion effects, and appreciating practical
applications in electronics. The lab enhances circuit analysis skills and deepens understanding
of nonlinear device behavior.

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Electronic Devices and Circuits Lab