Clipper Circuit – Types, Working and Applications

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 pass 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.

Series Negative Clippers

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.