Clippers

Diodes can be used to change the appearance of an applied waveform.

Clippers and clampers are an example of wave-shaping abilities of diodes.

Clippers employ diodes to “clip” away a portion of an input signal
without distorting the remaining part of the applied waveform.
 Categories of clippers: Series and Parallel.
 Series Clipper: the diode is in series with the load.
 Parallel Clipper: the diode is in a branch parallel to the load.

Half-wave rectifier is an example of the simplest form of series type
diode clipper, in which depending on the orientation of the diode, the
positive or negative region of the applied signal is “clipped” off.
 Series Clipper
Response of a diode in series clipper configuration is shown below for two
types of alternating waveforms.
The circuit given below was also introduced as a half-wave rectifier (for
sinusoidal waveforms), however, it has no limitation on use of variety of
alternating signals for wave shaping by a series clipper.
 Series Clipper
Inclusion of a dc supply source in the
configuration of a Series Clipper.
Added dc supply source can aid or work
against the source voltage.
Location of added supply source can
be in the leg between the supply and
output or in the branch parallel to the
output.
Important Steps for Analysis
Step-1: Identify where the output voltage is defined in the circuit. In the
figure above, it is defined directly across the resistor R:
Step-2: Develop an overall sense of the polarity of each power source to
establish the current and its effect on the direction of conventional current
through the diode.
Positive half of the input voltage source vi will try to forward bias the
diode, while the added power source V opposes this such that when
vi > V then only the (ideal) diode starts conduction. Output voltage
across resistor R is given as vo = vi - V
 Clipper with dc Supply
Step-3: Determine the applied voltage that changes
the state of the diode from “on” to “off” such that vo=0 .
This voltage is referred as Transition Voltage:
vo= vi – V → 0 = vi – V → vi =V (Transition voltage)
At this voltage level, a line is drawn on the input
voltage waveform to indicate the region below which
diode is “OFF” and above which it is “ON”.
For vi < V, diode is off, hence output voltage vo = 0
For vi> V, diode is in the “on” region, diode will be replaced with a short-
circuit equivalent (figure below), this will render output voltage vo = vi - V
Step-4: Output waveform (shown below) is the voltage above the line V on
the input signal and its peak value is given as VOPEAK = Vm - V
Example: Determine the output
waveform of the clipper circuit shown.
 Find the Transition Voltage, where the
diode changes its state from “ON” to
“OFF” or vice versa,

vi + 5 = 0 → vi = - 5 volts

A horizontal line is drawn through the
applied voltage at the transition level.

For voltages less than - 5 V the
diode is in the open-circuit state and
the output is 0 V.

Output voltage, when the diode is
“ON”, is determined using
Kirchhoff’s voltage law:
vo = vi + 5 V
Example: Find the output voltage for
the network shown here if the applied
signal is a square wave.

 For Positive Half cycle(0 to T/2 ):

vi = 20 V, the network has the diode
in the forward biased state (ON) and
the output voltage is
vo = Vi +V = 20 V + 5 V = 25 V

For Negative Half cycle(T/2 to T ):
vi = -10 V, the network has the
diode in the “off” state i.e. the diode
will be open circuit and the output
voltage is
vo = iR R = (0)R = 0 V

The resulting output voltage appears
is the portion of the wave that is
between 0 to T/2.
 Parallel Clipper
In a parallel diode clipper configuration,
output is across the diode.
Analysis of parallel configuration is similar to
that of series configurations.
Output v0 = vi, whenever the diode is not
conducting.
Output v0 = 0, whenever the diode is
conducting.

Response to Response to
Parallel Clipper Parallel Clipper
 Parallel Clipper with a dc Source
Step-1: Identify output - it is across the series combination of 4V supply
and the diode.
Step-2: Identify the Transition level of the diode by substituting the short-
circuit equivalent i.e. the change in state occurs at vi = 4 V. Below this
voltage, the diode becomes “on”. Above this level, diode remains “OFF”.
Case-I: (When vi < V). Direction of external battery V aids forward biasing
when Vi < V. Consequently, vo = V (i.e. 4V) for the duration when vi < V.
Case-II: (When vi > V). During this period, diode remains “OFF”, the input
voltage appears as output vo = vi .

Diode OFF

Diode ON
 Parallel Clipper with a dc Source
Step-2: Identify the Transition level of the diode by substituting the short-
circuit equivalent i.e. the change in state occurs at vi = 4 V. Below this
voltage, the diode becomes “on”. Above this level, diode remains “OFF”.
Case-I: (When vi < V). Direction of external battery V aids forward biasing
when Vi < V. Consequently, vo = V (i.e. 4V) for the duration when vi < V.
Case-II: (When vi > V). During this period, diode remains “OFF”, the input
voltage appears as output vo = vi .
 Parallel Clipper with a dc Source: Effect
of Barrier Potential

Transition voltage is determined by
applying the condition at id =0 A with
Kirchhoff’s voltage law around the
output loop
vi + VK - V = 0
vi = V - VK = 4 - 0.7 = 3.3 V

For input voltages greater than 3.3 V,
the diode will be an open circuit and
vo = vi

For input voltages less than 3.3 V, the
diode will be in the “on” state and the
output voltage
vo = 4 V - 0.7 V = 3.3 V
 The resulting output waveform shows
the only effect of VK, which is to drop
the transition level to 3.3 from 4 V.
 Simple Series Clippers

 For the clipper network on left, 

For the clipper network on the
the diode conducts during the right, the diode conducts during
negative half of input signal, thus the positive half of input signal,
the same becomes available as thus the same becomes available
output signal with positive half as output signal with negative half
of input signal getting clipped. of input signal getting clipped.
 Simple Series Clipper
Positive Clipper (for Ideal Diode):
For vi < 0: Diode will be in forward biased state (ON) → output v0
will appear for vi below 0 to -Vm
For vi > 0: Diode will be in reverse biased state (OFF), part of the
waveform from 0 to Vm will get clipped.
 Simple Series Clipper
Negative Clipper (for Ideal Diode)
For vi < 0: Diode will be in reverse biased state (OFF), part of the input
wave form from 0 to -Vm will get clipped.
For vi < 0: Diode will be in forward biased state (ON), part of the input
wave form from 0 to Vm will appear at the output v0
 Biased Series Clipper
Positively Biased Positive Clipper (Ideal Diode):
For vi < V: Diode will be forward biased state (ON) → output v0 will
appear for vi below V to -Vm .
Applying KVL will be vo = vi - V for vi = 0, → vo = -V and
for vi = V, → vo = 0 and
for vi = -Vm → vo = - Vm – V = - (Vm + V)
For vi > V: Diode will be in reverse biased state (OFF), part of the
waveform from V to Vm gets clipped.

Diode
OFF
V

Diode ON
 Biased Series Clipper
Negatively Biased Positive Clipper (Ideal Diode):
For vi < - V: Diode will be in forward biased state (ON) → output v0 will
appear for vi below -V to -Vm.
Applying KVL vo = vi + V for vi= 0 → vo = -V and
for vi= -V → vo = 0 and
for vi = -Vm → vo = - (-Vm + V)
For vi > - V: Diode will be in reverse biased state (OFF), part of the
waveform from -V to Vm will get clipped.

Diode
OFF

-V
Diode
ON
 Biased Series Clipper
Positively Biased Negative Clipper (Ideal Diode):
Case-I: For vi > V, Diode will be in forward biased state (ON), Output vo
will correspond to the part of input waveform from V to Vm.
Applying KVL vo = vi – V for vi = 0 → vo = -V and
for vi = V → vo = 0 and
for vi = Vm → vo = Vm - V
Case-II: For vi < V, Diode will be in reverse biased state (OFF) for vi < V,
input waveform from V to -Vm will get clipped.

Diode
ON

Diode
OFF
 Biased Series Clipper
Negatively Biased Negative Clipper (Ideal Diode):
Case-I: For vi > - V, Diode will be in forward biased state (ON), Output vo
will correspond to the part of input waveform from -V to Vm.
Applying KVL vo = vi + V for vi = 0 → vo = V and
for vi = -V → vo = 0 and
for vi = Vm → vo = Vm + V
Case-II: For vi < -V, Diode will be in reverse biased state (OFF), input
waveform from -V to -Vm will get clipped.

Diode
ON

-V
Diode
OFF
 Simple Parallel (Shunt) Clippers
Positive Parallel Clipper (Ideal Diode):
Case-I: For vi > 0; Diode will be in forward biased state (ON), consequently
positive half of the waveform will get clipped, thus vo = 0V
Case-II: For vi < 0, Diode will be in reverse biased state (OFF), consequently
negative half of the input wave form will appear as output, thus vo = vi
for vi = -Vm → vo = -Vm
 Simple Parallel Clippers
Negative Parallel Clipper (Ideal Diode):
Case-I: For vi < 0, Diode will be forward biased (ON), consequently
negative half of the input waveform gets clipped, thus vo = 0V
Case-II: For vi > 0, Diode will be reverse biased (OFF), consequently
positive half of the input waveform will appear as output, thus vo = vi
for vi = Vm → vo = Vm
 Biased Parallel Clippers
Positively Biased Positive Clipper (Ideal Diode)
CASE-I: For Vi > V, since the transition voltage is V volts, the diode
will be forward biased (short circuit) , thus the output vo = V.
CASE-II: For Vi < V, the diode will remain reverse biased i.e open
circuit, consequently vo = V to -Vm.

Diode
ON
V

Diode
OFF
 Biased Parallel Clippers
Negatively Biased Positive Clipper (Ideal Diode)
CASE-I: Transition voltage is -V volts, for Vi > -V the diode will be
forward biased and thus output vo = -V.
CASE-II: For Vi < -V, the diode will remain reverse biased i.e open
circuit, consequently vo = -V to -Vm.

Diode
ON

-V
Diode
OFF
 Biased Parallel Clippers
Negatively Biased Negative Clipper (Ideal Diode)
CASE-I: Transition voltage is -V volts, for Vi > -V the diode will be
reverse biased state and thus output vo = -V to Vm.
CASE-II: For Vi < -V, the diode will be forward biased i.e short circuit,
consequently vo = -V.

Diode
OFF

-V
Diode
ON
 Biased Parallel Clippers
Positively Biased Negative Clipper (Ideal Diode)
CASE-I: Transition voltage is V volts, for Vi > V the diode will be
reverse biased state and thus output vo = V to Vm.
CASE-II: For Vi < V, the diode will be forward biased i.e short circuit,
consequently vo = V.

Diode
OFF
V

Diode
ON
 Biased Parallel Clippers
Combination Clipper (Ideal Diode)- This is an example
of a combination of positively biased positive clipper and negatively
biased negative clipper.
Positively biased positive clipper will clip the positive half of the input
voltage Vi > V1.
Negatively biased negative clipper will clip the negative half of the input
waveform Vi < V2.

D1-ON
D2-OFF
D1 D2
V1
D1-OFF
D1-OFF
D2-OFF D2-OFF

V2
D1-OFF
D2-ON
 Biased Parallel Clippers
Combination Clipper (Ideal Diode)- This is an example
of a combination of positively biased positive clipper and negatively
biased negative clipper.

D1-ON
D2-OFF
V1
D1 D2
D1-OFF

D2-OFF

V2
D1-OFF
D1-OFF
D2-OFF D2-ON
End