Clipper (electronics)
Encyclopedia
In electronics
, a clipper is a device designed to prevent the output of a circuit from exceeding a predetermined voltage level without distorting the remaining part of the applied waveform.
A clipping circuit consists of linear elements like resistor
s and non-linear elements like junction diode
s or transistor
s, but it does not contain energy-storage elements like capacitors. Clipping circuits are used to select for purposes of transmission, that part of a signal wave form which lies above or below a certain reference voltage level.
Thus a clipper circuit can remove certain portions of an arbitrary waveform near the positive or negative peaks. Clipping may be achieved either at one level or two levels. Usually under the section of clipping, there is a change brought about in the wave shape of the signal.
Clipping Circuits are also called as Slicers, amplitude selectors or limiters.
Using square waveform it is easier to analyze the clipper network than sinusoidal waveform,because in square waveform only two level (i.e.two DC level) have to be considered.
s are used to clip the voltage VIN. In the first circuit, the voltage is clipped to the reverse breakdown voltage of the zener diode. The output voltage in the first circuit should also never be more negative than the diode's forward voltage (such as .7V for a typical diode), but it is not shown in the picture. In the second, the voltage in either direction is limited to the reverse breakdown voltage plus the voltage drop across one zener diode.
clippers are also used in wave shaping.
It is used in television sets and FM receivers.
It is also used for amplifiers and different types of op-amps through which it is possible to perform mathematical operations.
Diode clipper can be used for the protection of different types of circuit.
For example :a digital circuit against transients which may cause considerable damage.
The diode capacitance affects the operation of the clipper at high frequency and influences the choice between the above two types. High frequency signals are attenuated in the shunt clipper as the diode capacitance provides an alternative path to output current. In the series clipper, clipping effectiveness is reduced for the same reason as the high frequency current passes through without being sufficiently blocked.
Clippers may be classified based on the orientation(s) of the diode. The orientation decides which half cycle is affected by the clipping action.
Depending of feature of diode,the positive or negative region of the input signal is "clipped" off & accordingly the diode clipper can be classified as:
The clipping action can be made to happen at an arbitrary level by using a biasing elements (potential sources) in series with the diode.
The signal can be clipped to between two levels by using both types of diode clippers in combination.
This clipper is referred to as
The clamping network is the one that will "clamp" a signal to a different dc level. The network must have capacitor, a diode, and a resistive element, but it also employs an independent dc supply to introduce an additional shift.
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
, a clipper is a device designed to prevent the output of a circuit from exceeding a predetermined voltage level without distorting the remaining part of the applied waveform.
A clipping circuit consists of linear elements like resistor
Resistor
A linear resistor is a linear, passive two-terminal electrical component that implements electrical resistance as a circuit element.The current through a resistor is in direct proportion to the voltage across the resistor's terminals. Thus, the ratio of the voltage applied across a resistor's...
s and non-linear elements like junction diode
Diode
In electronics, a diode is a type of two-terminal electronic component with a nonlinear current–voltage characteristic. A semiconductor diode, the most common type today, is a crystalline piece of semiconductor material connected to two electrical terminals...
s or transistor
Transistor
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...
s, but it does not contain energy-storage elements like capacitors. Clipping circuits are used to select for purposes of transmission, that part of a signal wave form which lies above or below a certain reference voltage level.
Thus a clipper circuit can remove certain portions of an arbitrary waveform near the positive or negative peaks. Clipping may be achieved either at one level or two levels. Usually under the section of clipping, there is a change brought about in the wave shape of the signal.
Clipping Circuits are also called as Slicers, amplitude selectors or limiters.
Using square waveform it is easier to analyze the clipper network than sinusoidal waveform,because in square waveform only two level (i.e.two DC level) have to be considered.
Zener Diode
In the example circuits above, one or two zener diodeZener diode
A Zener diode is a special kind of diode which allows current to flow in the forward direction in the same manner as an ideal diode, but will also permit it to flow in the reverse direction when the voltage is above a certain value known as the breakdown voltage, "Zener knee voltage" or "Zener...
s are used to clip the voltage VIN. In the first circuit, the voltage is clipped to the reverse breakdown voltage of the zener diode. The output voltage in the first circuit should also never be more negative than the diode's forward voltage (such as .7V for a typical diode), but it is not shown in the picture. In the second, the voltage in either direction is limited to the reverse breakdown voltage plus the voltage drop across one zener diode.
Application
Clippers are used in rectification process,that is to convert ac to dc.clippers are also used in wave shaping.
It is used in television sets and FM receivers.
It is also used for amplifiers and different types of op-amps through which it is possible to perform mathematical operations.
Diode clipper can be used for the protection of different types of circuit.
For example :a digital circuit against transients which may cause considerable damage.
Classification
Clippers may be classified into two types based on the positioning of the diode.- Series Clippers, where the diode is in series with the load resistance, and
- Shunt Clippers, where the diode in shunted across the load resistance.
The diode capacitance affects the operation of the clipper at high frequency and influences the choice between the above two types. High frequency signals are attenuated in the shunt clipper as the diode capacitance provides an alternative path to output current. In the series clipper, clipping effectiveness is reduced for the same reason as the high frequency current passes through without being sufficiently blocked.
Clippers may be classified based on the orientation(s) of the diode. The orientation decides which half cycle is affected by the clipping action.
Depending of feature of diode,the positive or negative region of the input signal is "clipped" off & accordingly the diode clipper can be classified as:
- Positive Diode Clipper, the positive half cycle of the input will be removed.
- Negative Diode Clipper, the negative half cycle of the input will be removed.
The clipping action can be made to happen at an arbitrary level by using a biasing elements (potential sources) in series with the diode.
- Positively Biased Diode Clipper
- Negatively Biased Diode Clipper
The signal can be clipped to between two levels by using both types of diode clippers in combination.
This clipper is referred to as
- Combinational Diode Clipper or Two-Level Clippers
The clamping network is the one that will "clamp" a signal to a different dc level. The network must have capacitor, a diode, and a resistive element, but it also employs an independent dc supply to introduce an additional shift.
See also
- Clamper (electronics)Clamper (electronics)A clamper is an electronic circuit that prevents a signal from exceeding a certain defined magnitude by shifting its DC value. The clamper does not restrict the peak-to-peak excursion of the signal, but moves it up or down by a fixed value...
- Clipping (signal processing)Clipping (signal processing)Clipping is a form of distortion that limits a signal once it exceeds a threshold. Clipping may occur when a signal is recorded by a sensor that has constraints on the range of data it can measure, it can occur when a signal is digitized, or it can occur any other time an analog or digital signal...
- Orifice plateOrifice plateAn orifice plate is a device used for measuring the volumetric flow rate. It uses the same principle as a Venturi nozzle, namely Bernoulli's principle which states that there is a relationship between the pressure of the fluid and the velocity of the fluid...
which can function as a mechanical clipper for acoustic signals.