High linearity for digital attenuators

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Dec 28, 2004

Two new GaAs MMIC digital attenuators are ideal for wireless infrastructure, test equipment, microwave radio and military applications from 0.7 to 3.8GHz.

Two new GaAs MMIC digital attenuators are ideal for wireless infrastructure, test equipment, microwave radio and military applications from 0.7 to 3.8GHz.

The HMC271LP4 is a 5bit digital attenuator with a 1dB LSB and operates from 0.7 to 3.8GHz with a typical insertion loss of 2.1dB.

The HMC271LP4 can be programmed to provide any attenuation state from 1 to 31dB, in 1dB steps with a +/-0.5dB accuracy.

The HMC305LP4 is a 5bit digital attenuator with a 0.5dB LSB and covers 0.7 to 3.8GHz with a typical insertion loss of 1.5dB.

The HMC305LP4 can be programmed to provide any attenuation state from 0.5 to 15.5dB, in 0.5dB steps with a +/-0.3dB accuracy.

These new digital attenuators offer input IP3 of up to +52dBm without the need for an internally generated or externally supplied negative voltage.

Each attenuator is matched to 50ohm at all attenuation levels, requires a single positive voltage supply of +5V DC and accepts a three wire serial input.

These low cost, high linearity digital attenuators are housed in 4 x 4mm industry standard QFN leadless surface mount packages, and offer identical PCB footprints and pin assignments.

Samples and evaluation PC boards are available from MRC Components.