Clamping Circuits

• Clampers are diode circuits that change the dc level of the

input signal without distorting its original waveform
• Additional shifts can be obtained by introducing a dc supply
to the basic structure
• Clampers are consist of:
◦Diode
◦Capacitor
◦Resistor
◦dc source(optional)
 Clamping Circuits
• The resistor and capacitor of the network must be chosen
such that the time constant determined by:
𝜏 = 𝑅𝐶
is sufficiently large to ensure that the voltage across the
capacitor does not discharge significantly during the interval
that the diode is non – conducting
•Assumption: for all practical purposes, the capacitor fully
charges or discharges in five time constants 𝟓𝝉
 Steps in Analyzing Clamping Circuits
1. Always start with the part of the input signal that turns on the
diode.
2. During the time that the diode is turn on, the capacitor charges up
to a level determined by the potential applied across its terminals.
3. During the alternation that turns OFF the diode, the capacitor
holds on to its charge.
4. Always remember that the output waveform should be similar to
that of the input waveform
5. The peak – to – peak value of the output signal should be equal to
the peak – to – peak value of the input signal.
• Input

•Output
• Input

•Output
• Input

•Output
• Input

•Output
• Input

•Output
• Input

•Output
Sample Problem #1
• Sketch 𝑣𝑜 for the network of figure below for the input
shown.
𝐶
𝑣𝑖 +20𝑉
+ +
𝑣𝑖 𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑅 𝑣𝑜
0
𝑡
− −
−20𝑉
Sample Problem #2
• Sketch 𝑣𝑜 for the network of figure below for the input
shown. 𝐶
𝑣𝑖 +20𝑉 + +
𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙
𝑣𝑖 𝑣𝑜
0
𝑡 𝑅
5V
−20𝑉
− −
Sample Problem #3
• For the network of figure below:
•Calculate 5𝜏
•Compare 5𝜏 to half the period of the applied signal
•Sketch 𝑣𝑜 𝑣 C1
𝑖 +10𝑉

+ 0.1uF-POL +
𝑡 Si R1
0
𝑣𝑖 56k
𝑣𝑜
−10𝑉 2V
𝑓 = 1 𝑘𝐻𝑧 − −
Problem Set #4: Clamping Circuit
• Sketch 𝑣𝑜 for the network of figure below for the input shown.
Would it be a good approximation to consider the diode to be ideal?
Why?
C1
𝑣𝑖 +110𝑉
+ 0.1uF-POL +
Si R1
𝑡
0
𝑣𝑖 56k
𝑣𝑜

−110𝑉 20 V
− −
End
Clampers