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Positive unbiased voltage clamping shifts the amplitude of the input waveform so that all parts of it are greater than 0 V 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. A diode clamp (a simple, common type) relies on a diode, which conducts electric current in only one direction; resistors and capacitors in the circuit are used to maintain an altered dc level at the clamper output.
Contents
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1 General function 2 Types o 2.1 Positive unbiased o 2.2 Negative unbiased o 2.3 Positive biased o 2.4 Negative biased o 2.5 Op-amp circuit 3 Clamping for input protection 4 Principles of operation 5 Biased versus non-biased 6 Examples 7 See also 8 References
[edit] Types
Clamp circuits are categorised by their operation; negative or positive and biased and unbiased. A positive clamp circuit outputs a purely positive waveform from an input signal; it offsets the input signal so that all of the waveform is greater than 0 V. A negative clamp is the opposite of this - this clamp outputs a purely negative waveform from an input signal. A bias voltage between the diode and ground offsets the output voltage by that amount. For example, an input signal of peak value 5 V (VIN = 5 V) is applied to a positive clamp with a bias of 3 V (VBIAS = 3 V), the peak output voltage will be VOUT = 2VIN + VBIAS VOUT = 2 * 5 V + 3 V VOUT = 13 V
A positive unbiased clamp 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 VIN. During the positive 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 gain, so VOUT = 2VIN
A negative unbiased clamp 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 VIN. 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
A positive biased clamp 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
A negative biased clamp 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
Precision op-amp clamp circuit[1] The figure shows an op-amp clamp circuit with a non-zero reference clamping voltage. The advantage here is that the clamping level is at precisely the reference voltage. There is no need to take into account the forward volt drop of the diode (which is necessary in the preceding simple circuits as this adds to the reference voltage). The effect of the diode volt drop on the circuit output will be divided down by the gain of the amplifier, resulting in an insignificant error.
[edit] Examples
One common such clamping circuit is the DC restorer circuit in analog television receiver, which returns the voltage of the signal during the back porch of the line
blanking period to 0 V. Since the back porch is required to be at 0 V on transmission, any DC or low frequency hum that has been induced onto the signal can be effectively removed via this method