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 resistors and non-linear elements like junction diodes or transistor, 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 a 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.
Contents |
Example
A sinusoidal waveform can be converted to a trapezoidal wave, using a two-level clipper.
Application
It is used in television sets and FM receivers.
Classification
Practical clippers may be classified into two types : (a) Shunt Clippers , and (b) Series Clippers .
In a shunt clipper which uses a diode in conjunction with a resistor the diode forms a parallel path across the output .
Shunt clippers are of two types Images removed to avoid possible copyright violation. 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 can also employ an independent dc supply to introduce an additional shift.
See also
- Clamper
- Orifice plate which can function as a mechanical clipper for acoustic signals.
