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2

HMC424

0.5dB LSB GaAs MMIC 6-BIT DIGITAL

ATTENUATOR, DC - 13 GHz

v02.0404

Functional Diagram

Typical Applications

The HMC424 is ideal for:

• Fiber Optics & Broadband Telecom

• Microwave Radio & VSAT

• Military Radios, Radar, & ECM

• Space Applications

Features

0.5 dB LSB Steps to 31.5 dB

Single Control Line Per Bit

+/- 0.5 dB Typical Bit Error

Die Size: 0.85 mm x 1.45 mm x 0.1 mm

General Description

The HMC424 die is a broadband 6-bit GaAs IC

digital attenuator MMIC chip. Covering DC to 13

GHz, the insertion loss is less then 4 dB typical.

The attenuator bit values are 0.5 (LSB), 1, 2, 4,

8, and 16 dB for a total attenuation of 31.5 dB.

Attenuation accuracy is excellent at ± 0.5 dB typi-

cal step error with an IIP3 of +32 dBm. Six con-

trol voltage inputs, toggled between 0 and -5V,

are used to select each attenuation state. A single

Vee bias of -5V allows operation at frequencies

down to DC.

Parameter

Frequency (GHz)

Min.

Typ.

Max.

Units

Insertion Loss

DC - 8.0 GHz

8.0 - 13.0 GHz

3.0

4.0

3.8

4.6

dB

dB

Attenuation Range

DC - 13.0 GHz

31.5

dB

Return Loss (RF1 & RF2, All Atten. States)

DC - 8.0 GHz

8.0 - 13.0 GHz

8

11

12

15

dB

dB

Attenuation Accuracy: (Referenced to Insertion Loss)

0.5 - 7.5 dB States

8 - 31.5 dB States

DC - 13.0 GHz

DC - 13.0 GHz

± 0.3 + 4% of Atten. Setting Max

± 0.3 + 6% of Atten. Setting Max

dB

dB

Input Power for 0.1 dB Compression

1.0 - 13.0 Ghz

22

dBm

Input Third Order Intercept Point

(Two-Tone Input Power= 0 dBm Each Tone)

REF State

All Other States

1.0 - 13.0 Ghz

46

32

dBm

dBm

Switching Characteristics

tRISE, tFALL (10/90% RF)

tON/tOFF (50% CTL to 10/90% RF)

DC - 13.0 GHz

30

50

ns

ns