Removes the part of a signal above or below a reference level without distorting the rest

In the unbiased positive shunt clipper, in the positive half cycle

The diode conducts and Vout is held at about 0.7 V

The diode is off and Vout = Vin

Adding a dc battery VR in series with the diode

Changes the clipping level to VR (+0.7 V)

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2070 Bhadra · 5 marks
2069 Poush · 4 marks

Short note: Clipper circuit

Short answer

A clipper (limiter) removes parts of a signal above or below a chosen reference level without altering the rest. It uses a diode in series or shunt, often with a DC bias battery to set the clipping threshold. Common types include positive, negative, biased, and combination clippers; applications are waveform shaping and overvoltage protection.

Write a short note on clipper circuit.

A clipper (or limiter) is a circuit that removes (clips) the part of an input signal that is above or below a chosen reference level, without changing the remaining part of the waveform. It is built with diodes, resistors and, for the reference level, dc batteries.

Classification

Series clipper: the diode is in series with the load.
Shunt (parallel) clipper: the diode is in parallel with the load.
By the part clipped: positive, negative, biased, and combination (two-level) clippers.

Positive shunt clipper (unbiased)

 Vin o---[ R ]---+---o Vout
                 |
                 D (anode to the output)
                 |
 GND o-----------+---o

Positive half cycle: the diode conducts and Vout is held at about 0.7 V (ideal 0 V). The positive peak is clipped.
Negative half cycle: the diode is OFF and Vout = Vin.

Negative clipper

The diode is reversed. The negative half cycle is clipped, the positive half passes.

Biased clipper

A dc battery VR is placed in series with the diode. The clipping level changes to VR (+0.7 V for a real diode). For example, with a 3 V battery the positive peaks are clipped at 3 V.

Combination clipper

Two diodes with batteries V1 and V2 in opposite directions clip both peaks: output is limited between −V2 and +V1.

 Vin  /\       Vout  _____
     /  \            /     \   (clipped at +V1)
 ---/----\---   ----/-------\--

Applications: protecting circuits from voltage spikes, waveform shaping, square-wave generation from sine waves, noise removal and limiting in FM receivers.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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