Lab 05: CLAMPER CIRCIUTS

Experiment 05
Operation of a diode clamper
Introduction:
Certain applications of electronics require that a signal or waveform be fixed
to a specific voltage level. In such situations, a clamper is used to clamp, or
restrain, either the upper or lower peak value of a waveform to a fixed DC
potential. A DC clamper can also be called a DC Restorer or Baseline
Stabilizer. Clamper circuits are found in many advanced applications such as
test equipment, instruments, video, radar, and sonar.
The study of the clamper brings together theories from several preceding
lessons. You will use information that you learned in your study of capacitors,
RC time constants, diodes, and biasing. As you can readily see, each lesson
is important, as it is the foundation for succeeding lessons.

What Is A Clamper?
The best way to begin is with the definition.
DC CLAMPER - A circuit in which either the upper or lower peak of a
waveform is fixed to a predetermined level.

RC Time Constant
An RC time constant is the measure of the amount of time required to fully
charge or discharge a capacitor. The required time is a function of the value
of the resistance and capacitance. The value of one time constant is
calculated by multiplying the resistance by the capacitance. Diode clamping
circuit operation is based on the principle of RC time constants.

Positive Diode Clamper

Figure 1 illustrates a positive clamper circuit. The purpose of the circuit is to
clamp or reference an input signal to ground (0 volts) with the entire
waveform above ground. R1 provides a discharge path for C1. The value of
R1 is large so that the discharge time of C1 is very large when compared to
the pulse width of the input signal. The purpose of the diode is to provide a

Experiment 05
Page 1

Lab 05: CLAMPER CIRCIUTS

fast charge path for C1. After C1 becomes fully charged, it acts as a voltage
source. If you compare the input and output waveforms, it is easy to see how
a clamper functions. The illustrated circuit uses T1 through T6. T represents
time. In the illustration, the input is compared to the output whenever the
input changes. By using the T, we have a reference with which to compare
events.

Positive unbiased Clamper

In the negative cycle of the input AC signal, the diode is forward biased and
conducts, charging the capacitor to the peak positive value of V IN. During the
positive cycle, the diode is reverse biased and thus does not conduct. The

Experiment 05
Page 2

Lab 05: CLAMPER CIRCIUTS

output voltage is therefore equal to the voltage stored in the capacitor plus
the input voltage again, so VOUT = 2VIN

Negative unbiased Clamper

A negative unbiased clamp is the opposite of the equivalent positive clamp.

In the positive cycle of the input AC signal, the diode is forward biased and
conducts, charging the capacitor to the peak value of V IN. During the
negative cycle, the diode is reverse biased and thus does not conduct. The
output voltage is therefore equal to the voltage stored in the capacitor plus
the input voltage again, so VOUT = -2VIN

Positive biased Clamper

A positive biased voltage clamp is identical to an equivalent unbiased clamp

but with the output voltage offset by the bias amount VBIAS. Thus, VOUT =
2VIN + VBIAS

Negative biased Clamper

Experiment 05
Page 3

Lab 05: CLAMPER CIRCIUTS

A negative biased voltage clamp is likewise identical to an equivalent

unbiased clamp but with the output voltage offset in the negative direction
by the bias amount VBIAS. Thus, VOUT = -2VIN - VBIAS

EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS

One 10K Resistor

Digital Multimeter

One 1N4001 Silicon Diode

Breadboard

Dual Trace Oscilloscope

Function Generator

0-15V dc power supply

10F/47uF
capacitor

electrolytic

Functional Experiment
1. Wire the clamper circuit as shown in figure 1. Set your oscilloscope to the

following approximate settings:

Channel 1: 2.V /division, dc coupling,
Channel 2: 2.V /division, dc coupling
Time base: 0.2 ms/ division,
Without any input signal connected to the breadboard, position the two
lines on the oscilloscopes display so that they are at the same level.
2. Now connect the signal generator to the breadboard. You should see two
sine waves. Notice that the clampers output signal level is above the
inputs. This action is that of a positive clamper, so that the input
waveform is shifted upward. Sketch the input and output waveforms on
the data page given at the end of this manual.
3. Note that the clamping action is not perfect. The negative peaks of the
output waveform are clamped not at zero volts, but at a small negative
voltage. When the input waveform goes negative at a level greater than
the barrier potential of the diode, the diode is forward biased. Thus
approximately 0.7 volt is dropped across the diode while the remainder of
the peak negative voltage charges the capacitor. On the next positivegoing half cycle, the diode is reverse biased, looking like an open circuit,

Experiment 05
Page 4

Lab 05: CLAMPER CIRCIUTS

and the voltage stored on the capacitor is then added to a time-varying

input voltage, less the voltage drop of the diode.
4. Now reverse the polarity of the diode as shown in figure 2.Repeat above
steps .The behavior is opposite to that of a positive clamper. This is a
negative clamper. On the data page at the end of this manual sketch the
input and output waveform.
5. Again you should notice that the clamper action is not perfect.
Circuit 2
Make the circuit shown in the figure below on the breadboard.
1. Set the function generator to the sin wave of 5V (peak to peak) at
100hz.
2. Draw the waveform of the input voltage on input table provided below,
by displaying the input voltage on any one channel of the oscilloscope.
3. Connect Vout1 to the channel one and Vout2 to the channel 2 of the
oscilloscope.
4. Draw the resultant wave form of the V out1 and Vout2 in the tables
provided.

Experiment 05
Page 5

Lab 05: CLAMPER CIRCIUTS

Experiment 05
Page 6

Lab 05: CLAMPER CIRCIUTS

SUMMARY

A clamping circuit clamps or fixes the upper or lower peak of a

waveform.
Clamping action does not change the amplitude or shape of the input
waveform.
A positive clamper clamps the negative peak of the input waveform to
0 volts DC.
A negative clamper clamps the positive peak of the input waveform to
0 volts DC.
A positive biased clamper clamps the negative peak of the input
waveform to the value of the bias.
A negative biased clamper clamps the positive peak of the input
waveform to the value of the bias.
If the arrow representing the diode's anode points up, the circuit is a
positive clamper.
If the arrow representing the diode's anode points down, the circuit is a
negative clamper.

Design Problems

Design a Clamper circuit that that gives 2 volts DC offset to the input
signal.
Investigate the influence of the voltage sources added to the clamper
circuit.

Experiment 05
Page 7