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Diode clipper

Electronic Devices Lab · free online experiment, runs in your browser with no install or sign-up.

Open this experiment in the circuit simulator

Objective

Clip the positive peaks of a 5 V sine at one diode drop with a shunt diode.

Procedure

Run and compare the waveforms.
Reverse the diode: the negative peaks are clipped instead.

Theory

The diode to ground conducts when the input exceeds about 0.7 V, so the output cannot rise above Vd ≈ 0.7 V; the negative half-cycle passes unchanged.

Questions to answer

How would you clip at 5.7 V instead?

Components used

Diode 1N4007, Function generator (sine), Oscilloscope (2-channel), Resistor 220 ohm 1/4W

About the model

Time scale: for the browser simulator the source frequencies are divided by 100 and capacitors / inductors multiplied by 100; the waveforms keep their shape but run 100 times slower. Ideal wires; component models as listed in the catalogue (no parasitics, no temperature drift). Built without a breadboard so the schematic stays readable.