Series Clipping circuits

The Series clipping circuits is mostly used in electronics circuit to trim unwanted portion of signals. So that necessary magnitude of signal can be passed to further stage for processing. The clipping circuit is most necessary to clip more than desired amount of signal. Because it will safe devices from damages due to unexpected large amplification conditions

The noise circuit amplitude is always more than the signal to be processed. These clipper is used to clip off noise signal from process signal.

Series clipper is a device connected in series with output devices to clip unwanted portion of signal.

For example , a half wave rectifier can be described as series clipper. because it conducts only positive (or) negative half cycle as configured in circuit. So half cycle wave form only can be conducted to load.

A positive half wave clipper is a standard half wave rectifier circuit. When input alternating waveform attains positive half cycle it conduct to load the load. On other hand negative half cycle clipped off from signal. So output circuit is always getting positive half cycle only

In a negative half wave clipper circuit, diode is configured in inverse pattern. The cathode terminal is connected with signal input and anode terminal with output devices. So when input signal attains negative half cycle , it conducts to load. Positive half cycle ignored. Hence output device always getting negative half cycle only.

The output of series clipping circuit is never equal to the input signal amplitude. Few portion of amplitude will also clipped. It is because , a diode will start conduct signal , when input signal overcome forward voltage drop (V_f).

Output V_o = E_i – V_f

Where,

V_o = Output signal magnitude

E_i = Input signal magnitude

V_f = Forward voltage drop of clipping diode

When clipping diode is reverse biased, out will be remains zero, i.e effectively clipped off. The zero output of the clipping circuit is not exactly zero. There is very small amount reverse saturation current flows across resistor (R₁).

V_o = -I_RR₁

We can feed any shape of input signal such sine wave, square wave, triangular wave, sawtooth wave etc, as per application requirement

The electronics circuit can be fabricated , such it can carry small amount of current for efficient operation. The main reason current level kept in smaller, because larger level current flow required bulky size component which occupies large spaces. The Energy sources also required in large capacity to fulfil demand of circuit. Another major reason to keep current level minimum to reduce power dissipation level in electronics circuits. Lower power dissipations allows smallest size components to be used and less heat dissipation

Digital signals sometimes affected by some unwanted lower level noise voltages. The noise can be removed by series clipping circuit. A series noise clipping circuit consists of two inverse parallel connected diodes. When noise amplitude is very smaller that diode forward voltage drop (v_f), those noise signal restricted to pass further stage of the circuits. A dead zone of +/- Vf exists around ground level in the output waveform. If noise signal amplitude is larger than Vf , then required number (n) of diodes are connected in series to give large dead zone (or) restrict noise signal.