Digital attenuator boosts linearity

6bit digital step attenuator is designed for applications requiring extremely high linearity such as cellular basestations and repeaters, fixed wireless and WiMAX and WiBro.

Peregrine Semiconductor has announced the availability of the PE4309 6bit digital step attenuator (DSA), designed for applications requiring extremely high linearity such as cellular basestations and repeaters, fixed wireless and WiMAX and WiBro.

The new PE4309 is the latest in a series of industry-leading DSAs developed on the company's proprietary UltraCMOS process technology.

With unprecedented linearity (52dBm) across the device's entire broadband range; precise attenuation accuracy (31.5 range, 0.5 steps); and high ESD tolerance (2kV HBM), the device provides customers with a higher performance, footprint-compatible solution to competing devices on the market today.

"The design flexibility provided by UltraCMOS allowed us to engineer a device with Vdd operation from 3 to 5V while maintaining identical RF performance", said Rodd Novak, Vice-President of Marketing for Peregrine Semiconductor.

"This allows the use of a single device in both RF and IF radio sections where available voltages typically vary".

"Competing products cannot offer this versatility without the use of an external voltage conversion device, which translates into higher cost and larger footprint", he added.

"The Peregrine solution saves space and money".

The 50ohm PE4309 DSA operates (DC-4GHz), raising the performance benchmark previously set by UltraCMOS DSAs.

By providing an extremely high level of attenuation accuracy for both the differential and absolute specifications, design engineers are better able to develop precision down and up conversion circuits.

The PE4309 is packaged in the space-saving 24-lead 4x4 QFN package, and is sampling now.

The device is priced at US $2.50 (10,000 units).

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