MICROWAVE CORPORATION
9 - 92
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
12 Elizabeth Drive, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order Online at www.hittite.com
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TTENU
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9
HMC424LP3
0.5dB LSB GaAs MMIC 6-BIT DIGITAL
ATTENUATOR, DC - 13 GHz
v04.0604
Functional Diagram
Electrical Specifi cations,
T
A
= +25° C, With Vee = -5V & VCTL= 0/-5V
Typical Applications
The HMC424LP3 is ideal for:
· Basestation Infrastructure
· Fiber Optics & Broadband Telecom
· Microwave & VSAT Radios
· Military & Space
· Test Instrumentation
Features
0.5 dB LSB Steps to 31.5 dB
Single Control Line Per Bit
+/- 0.5 dB Typical Bit Error
9mm
2
Leadless SMT Plastic Package
General Description
The HMC424LP3 is a broadband 6-bit GaAs IC
digital attenuator in a low cost leadless surface
mount package. Covering DC to 13 GHz, the
insertion loss is less then 4 dB typical. The atten-
uator bit values are 0.5 (LSB), 1, 2, 4, 8, and
16 dB for a total attenuation of 31.5 dB. Attenua-
tion accuracy is excellent at ± 0.5 dB typical step
error with an IIP3 of +32 dBm. Six control 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 - 4.0 GHz
4.0 - 8.0 GHz
8.0 - 13.0 GHz
3.1
3.5
4.0
3.8
4.0
4.6
dB
dB
dB
Attenuation Range
DC - 13.0 GHz
31.5
dB
Return Loss (RF1 & RF2, All Atten. States)
DC - 13.0 GHz
9
12
dB
Attenuation Accuracy: (Referenced to Insertion Loss)
0.5 - 15.5 dB States
16 - 31.5 dB States
DC - 13.0 GHz
DC - 13.0 GHz
± 0.3 + 3% of Atten. Setting Max
± 0.3 + 5% 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
MICROWAVE CORPORATION
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For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
12 Elizabeth Drive, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order Online at www.hittite.com
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TTENU
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9
-10
-9
-8
-7
-6
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13 14 15
+25 C
+85 C
-40 C
INSERTION LOSS (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
-25
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13 14 15
0.5 dB
1 dB
2 dB
4 dB
8 dB
16 dB
31.5 dB
RETURN LOSS (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
-35
-30
-25
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13 14 15
0.5 dB
1 dB
2 dB
4 dB
8 dB
16 dB
31.5 dB
NORMALIZED ATTENUATION (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
0
4
8
12
16
20
24
28
32
0.1 GHz
4 GHz
8 GHz
13 GHz
BIT ERROR (dB)
ATTENUATION STATE (dB)
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13 14 15
0.5 dB
1 dB
2 dB
4 dB
8 dB
16 dB
31.5 dB
BIT ERROR (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13 14 15
0.5 dB
1 dB
2 dB
4 dB
8 dB
16 dB
31.5 dB
RELATIVE PHASE (deg)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
GaAs MMIC SUB-HARMONICALLY PUMPED MIXER 17 - 25 GHz
HMC424LP3
Return Loss RF1, RF2
(Only Major States are Shown)
0.5dB LSB GaAs MMIC 6-BIT DIGITAL
ATTENUATOR, DC - 13 GHz
v04.0604
Insertion Loss
Normalized Attenuation
(Only Major States are Shown)
Bit Error vs. Frequency
(Only Major States are Shown)
Relative Phase vs. Frequency
(Only Major States are Shown)
Bit Error vs. Attenuation State
MICROWAVE CORPORATION
9 - 94
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
12 Elizabeth Drive, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order Online at www.hittite.com
A
TTENU
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T
ORS - SMT
9
HMC424LP3
0.5dB LSB GaAs MMIC 6-BIT DIGITAL
ATTENUATOR, DC - 13 GHz
v04.0604
Truth Table
Control Voltage
Bias Voltage & Current
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13 14 15
STEP ERROR (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
Worst Case Step Error
Between Successive Attenuation States
Control Voltage Input
Attenuation
State
RF1 - RF2
V1
16 dB
V2
8 dB
V3
4 dB
V4
2 dB
V5
1 dB
V6
0.5 dB
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Reference
I.L.
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
High
0.5 dB
Low
Low
Low
Low
High
Low
1 dB
Low
Low
Low
High
Low
Low
2 dB
Low
Low
High
Low
Low
Low
4 dB
Low
High
Low
Low
Low
Low
8 dB
High
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
16 dB
High
High
High
High
High
High
31.5 dB
Any Combination of the above states will provide
an attenuation approximately equal to the sum of
the bits selected.
State
Bias Condition
Low
0 to -3V @ 70 µA Typ.
High
-5 to -4.2V @ 5 µA Typ.
Vee Range= -5.0 Vdc ± 10%
Vee
(VDC)
Iee (Typ.)
(mA)
Iee (Max.)
(mA)
-5.0
2
4
MICROWAVE CORPORATION
9 - 95
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
12 Elizabeth Drive, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order Online at www.hittite.com
A
TTENU
A
T
ORS - SMT
9
HMC424LP3
0.5dB LSB GaAs MMIC 6-BIT DIGITAL
ATTENUATOR, DC - 13 GHz
v04.0604
Outline Drawing
NOTES:
1. MATERIAL PACKAGE BODY: LOW STRESS INJECTION MOLDED
PLASTIC SILICA AND SILICON IMPREGNATED.
2. LEAD AND GROUND PADDLE MATERIAL: COPPER ALLOY
3. LEAD AND GROUND PADDLE PLATING: Sn/Pb SOLDER
4. DIMENSIONS ARE IN INCHES [MILLIMETERS].
5. LEAD SPACING TOLERANCE IS NON-CUMULATIVE
6. PAD BURR LENGTH SHALL BE 0.15mm MAXIMUM.
PAD BURR HEIGHT SHALL BE 0.05mm MAXIMUM.
7. PACKAGE WARP SHALL NOT EXCEED 0.05mm.
8. ALL GROUND LEADS AND GROUND PADDLE MUST BE SOLDERED
TO PCB RF GROUND.
9. REFER TO HITTITE APPLICATION NOTE SUGGESTED PCB
LAND
PATTERN.
Absolute Maximum Ratings
Control Voltage (V1 to V6)
Vee - 0.5 Vdc
Bias Voltage (Vee)
-7.0 Vdc
Channel Temperature
150 °C
Thermal Resistance
140 °C/W
Storage Temperature
-65 to + 150 °C
Operating Temperature
-55 to +85 °C
RF Input Power (0.5 - 13.0 GHz)
+25 dBm
MICROWAVE CORPORATION
9 - 96
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
12 Elizabeth Drive, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order Online at www.hittite.com
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TTENU
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T
ORS - SMT
9
HMC424LP3
0.5dB LSB GaAs MMIC 6-BIT DIGITAL
ATTENUATOR, DC - 13 GHz
v04.0604
Pin Description
Suggested Driver Circuit
(One Circuit Required Per Bit Control Input)
Simple driver using inexpensive standard logic ICs provides fast
switching using minimum DC current.
* Recommended value to suppress unwanted RF signals at V1 -
V6 control lines.
Pad Number
Function
Description
Interface Schematic
1, 3, 10, 12
GND
Package bottom has an exposed metal paddle that must also be
connected to RF grount
2, 11
RFIN, RFOUT
This pin is DC coupled and matched to 50 Ohm. Blocking capaci-
tors are required if RF line potential is not equal to 0V.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
V6 - V1
See truth table and control voltage table.
13, 14, 16
N/C
This pin should be connected to PCB RF ground to maximize
performance
15
VEE
Supply Voltage -5V
±
10%
MICROWAVE CORPORATION
9 - 97
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
12 Elizabeth Drive, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order Online at www.hittite.com
A
TTENU
A
T
ORS - SMT
9
HMC424LP3
0.5dB LSB GaAs MMIC 6-BIT DIGITAL
ATTENUATOR, DC - 13 GHz
v04.0604
Evaluation PCB
The circuit board used in the fi nal application should use RF circuit design techniques. Signal lines should have
50 ohm impedance while the package ground leads and exposed paddle should be connected directly to the
ground plane similar to that shown. A suffi cient number of via holes should be used to connect the top and bottom
ground planes. The evaluation circuit board shown is available from Hittite upon request.
List of Material
* R1 - R6 = 100 Ohm.
These resistors are optional
and may be used to enhance
decoupling of the RF path
from the control inputs.
Item
Description
J1 - J2
PC Mount SMA Connector
J3
8 Pin DC Connector
C1
0.01 µF Capacitor, 0603 Pkg.
R1 - R6
100 Ohm Resistor, 0603 Pkg.
U1
HMC424LP3 Digital Attenuator
PCB*
105245 Evaluation PCB
* Circuit Board Material: Rogers 4350
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