Clipper Circuit

Clipper circuits are the electronic circuits that clip off or remove a portion of an AC
signal, without causing any distortion to the remaining part of the waveform. These
are also known as clippers, clipping circuits, limiters, slicers, etc
The main component of a clipper circuit is a diode or any other type of diode. The
diode clips a portion from the input waveform. The shape of the waveform depends on
the configuration as well as the design of the circuit. Therefore, there are different
types of clipper circuits discussed below.

Types of Clippers
The diode-based clipper circuit can be classified into the following two types.
• Series Diode Clippers
• Shunt Diode Clippers

Series Clippers
In series clipper circuits, the diode is connected in series with the output. In such
clippers, the input signal appears at the output when the diode is forward biased and
conducting. On the contrary, the shunt clippers passes the input signal when the diode
is reverse biased or blocking.

It is divided into positive and negative clippers.

Series Positive Clippers

Series positive clippers remove or clips the positive half of the waveform. In a series
positive clipper, the diode is in reverse biased and in series with the output as shown
in the figure below.
The input signal Vi is applied at the input side while the output is taken at the load
resistor. During the positive half cycle of the input, the voltage at point A is positive
than point B. So the diode is in reverse bias and there is no current conduction. The
input signal cannot pass, thus there is no voltage drop at the Rl. Therefore, there the
positive half cycle does not appear at the output as shown in the figure.
During the negative half-cycle, the voltage at point A is negative than point B. The
diode becomes forward bias and the signal pass through it. The signal appears across
the Rl. Therefore, the negative half cycle passes through the circuit and appears at
the output.

Series Positive Clippers with Bias

The biasing in the clippers circuit is used to clip a portion of the half cycle and not the
whole halve. Therefore, a series positive clipper with biasing which can be positive or
negative is used for producing the desired waveforms.

Positive Bias
In such a positive clipper circuit, the positive of the battery is connected to the P side
of the diode as shown in the figure below.

During the positive half cycle, the voltage at point A is greater than point B due to
which, the diode is in reverse bias and switched off. But there is another voltage source
whose positive is connected to the P-side of the diode. This voltage source or battery
puts the diode in forward bias.
If the input voltage is less than the battery voltage, the diode remains in forward bias
and it conducts. Therefore, the signal appears at the output. When the input voltage
increases above the battery voltage, the diode becomes reverse-biased and does not
conduct the input signal. Therefore, the battery voltage Vb appears at the output.
During the negative half cycle, the diode is forward biased due to the input voltage as
well as the battery voltage. Therefore, the input signal passes through the diode and
it appears at the output.
Negative Bias
The battery in the negative biased series positive clipper is connected in reverse with
the diode as shown in the figure below.

During the positive half cycle, the diode is reversed biased due to the input voltage
and the negative battery as well. Therefore, in the positive half cycle, the diode does
not conduct and only the negative battery voltage appears at the output.
During the negative half-cycle, the input voltage polarity reverses and the diode
becomes forward biased. However, the diode is reverse biased due to the negative
battery. Therefore, the diode only becomes forward biased if the input voltage
increases above the battery voltage and the input signal appear at the output.
Otherwise, the negative battery voltage appears at the output.

The series negative clipper circuit clips the negative half of the input cycle. its circuit
diagram is given below.

During positive half cycle, the diode is forward biased due to the input voltage.
Therefore, the input signal passes through the diode and appears at the output.
During the negative half cycle, the diode becomes reverse-biased and it does not
conduct. Therefore, there is no voltage at the output and the negative half cycle is
clipped from the input waveform.
Series Negative Clippers with Bias
The series negative clipper is biased with either positive or negative voltage battery to
modify the waveform instead of clipping the whole negative half.

Positive Bias
During the positive half cycle, the diode is forward biased due to input signal voltage.
While it is reversed biased due to the battery voltage. the state of the diode depends
on both the voltage sources. Therefore, the diode will be forward biased and conduct
only if the input voltage is greater than the battery voltage.

At first, the input voltage is lower than battery voltage, therefore, the diode is reversed
biased and does not conduct. So the battery voltage appears at the output. The input
signal appears at the output for the portion when it becomes greater than the battery
voltage as shown in the figure.
During the negative half of the cycle, the diode is reversed biased due to both the input
voltage as well as the battery voltage. therefore, only battery voltage appears at the
output for the whole negative half cycle.

Negative Bias
During the positive half cycle, the diode is forward biased due to both the input signal
and the battery voltage. Therefore, the diode conducts the signal for the whole positive
half cycle and it appears at the output as it is in the input.
During the negative half-cycle, the input voltage forces the diode in reverse bias but
the battery voltage still forward biases the diode. During this whole cycle, the diode
only conducts when the battery voltage exceeds the input voltage.
At first, the input voltage is less than the battery voltage, thus the diode conducts and
the signal appears at the output. But when it exceeds the battery voltage, the diode
blocks the input signal and the battery voltage starts to appear at the output as shown
in the figure.

Shunt Clippers
In shunt clippers, the diode is connected in parallel with the output. The input signal
appears the output when the diode is blocking as opposed to the series clippers.
The shunt clippers can also be divided into positive and negative clippers.
• Shunt Positive Clippers
• Shunt Negative Clippers

Shunt Positive Clippers

The shunt positive clipper clips the positive half cycle of the input waveform. The circuit
diagram of the shunt positive clipper is given below.

During the positive half cycle, the diode is forward biased as the voltage at point A is
greater than point B. so the diode conducts the input signal and there is no voltage
difference at the output.
During the negative half-cycle, the voltage polarity of the input signal at points A and
B reverses and the diode becomes reverse biased. Therefore, the diode blocks the
input signal and the signal voltage appears across the diode that is taken as the output
of the clipper.
In such a way, the shunt positive clippers, clips or remove, the positive half of the input
cycle and allow the negative half cycle.
Shunt Positive Clippers with Bias
The biasing is done by using another fixed voltage source such as a battery inside the
circuit to modify the waveform furthermore. The voltage source can be connected in
either positive or negative biasing.

Positive Bias
During the positive half cycle, the diode is forward biased due to the input voltage. but
it is reversed biased due to the battery voltage. The sum of both voltages will decide
the state of the diode. If the input voltage is greater than the battery voltage, the diode
will be forward biased otherwise it will remain in reverse bias.

At first, the input signal is less than the battery voltage, so the diode is reversed biased
and the signal appears at the output. but when it exceeds the battery voltage, the diode
starts conducting the signal and only the battery voltage starts to appear at the output.
During the negative half cycle, the diode is reversed biased due to both input voltage
as well as battery voltage. Therefore, the input signal appears for the whole negative
half-cycle at the output.

Negative Bias
During the positive half cycle, the diode is forward biased for both input signal and
battery voltage. Therefore, the diode conducts for the whole cycle and only the battery
voltage appears at the output.
During the negative half cycle, the diode is reversed biased for input signal and forward
biased for battery voltage. The combined effect of both voltage sources decides the
state of the diode. The diode is forward biased when the input voltage is less than the
battery voltage.
At first, the input signal is less than the battery voltage, thus the diode is forward
biased. Therefore, the battery voltage appears at the output. When the input voltage
exceeds the battery voltage, the diode becomes reversed biased and the input signal
starts to appear at the output as shown in the figure.

Shunt Negative Clippers

The shunt negative clipper clips the negative half of the input waveform. The circuit
diagram is given below

During the positive half cycle, the diode is reversed biased, thus it blocks the signal
that appears across it. therefore, the positive half also appears at the output.
During the negative half cycle, the diode is forward biased and it conducts the signal.
Therefore, there is no voltage at the output for the negative half cycle. Thus the shunt
negative clipper clips or removes the negative half of the input waveform.

Shunt Negative Clippers with Bias

To further modify the waveform of the shunt negative clipper, positive or negative
biasing is used with it by connecting a battery source in one of the two ways called
positive biasing and negative biasing. The waveform can be modified by varying the
voltage of the battery.

Positive Bias
During the positive half cycle, the diode is reversed biased for input voltage but forward
biased for battery voltage. So, the diode will be reversed biased only when the input
voltage exceeds the battery voltage and then the input signal will appear at the output.
At first, the signal is less than the battery, so the diode is forward biased and it
conducts the signal. Therefore, only the battery voltage appears at the output. but
when the input signal exceeds the battery voltage, the diode becomes reversed biased
and the signal appears at the output as shown in the figure.
During the negative half cycle, the diode is forward biased for both input signal and
battery voltage. Therefore, the diode conducts and only the battery voltage appears at
the output for the whole negative cycle.

Negative Bias
During the positive half cycle, the diode is reversed biased for both input and battery
voltage. thus, the diode blocks the voltage and the signal appears at the output for the
whole positive half cycle.

During the negative half cycle, the diode conducts when the input voltage exceeds the
battery voltage. Therefore, when the voltage is less than the battery voltage, the diode
blocks and the signal appear at the output. When the input voltage exceeds, the diode
starts conduction and only the battery voltage appears at the output.