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Highly Accurate and Linear Digital Step Attenuators Switch Fast

Aug. 11, 2020

DSAs span frequency ranges of 9 kHz to 13 GHz or 45 GHz with linearity that lends them to 5G test and measurement applications.

David Maliniak

Maintaining monotonic response across their entire frequency ranges, a pair of digital step attenuators (DSAs) from pSemi, a Murata company, offer high linearity (see figure), fast switching times, and extremely high attenuation accuracy. The PE43610 and PE43614 DSAs support the entire 9 kHz to 13 GHz and 9 kHz to 45 GHz frequency ranges, respectively. The components are well suited for 5G test-and-measurement applications.

The PE43610 and PE43614 DSAs cover a 31.5-dB attenuation range in 0.5-dB and 1-dB steps, and they can maintain 0.5-dB and 1-dB monotonicity throughout their frequency ranges. These DSAs also deliver glitch-safe attenuation state transitions, meaning no increased power spike during a state transition.

The PE46310 digital step attenuator provides tight linearity across its attenuation range.

Both DSAs have an extended temperature range of −40°C to +105°C, an HBM ESD rating of 1 kV, and an easy-to-use digital control interface supporting both parallel and serial addressable programming. These products support 1.8-V control signals and have an optional VSS_EXT bypass mode.

These high-performance DSAs feature flexible attenuation steps and parallel and serial programming interfaces with serial addressability. The PE43610 and PE43614 are designed for use in test-and-measurement equipment, point-to-point communication systems, and very small-aperture terminals (VSATs).

For even broader frequency coverage, the PE43614 is available as the PE43508, a flip-chip die version that extends coverage to 55 GHz.

The PE43610 and PE43614 are offered in a 24-lead, 4 x 4 mm LGA package. Volume-production parts, samples, and evaluation kits are available now. In quantities of 1000, the PE43610 (6 bits, 50 Ω) is $15.17 each; the PE43614 (6 bits, 50 Ω) is $48.53 each.

pSemi, www.psemi.com

About the Author

David Maliniak | Executive Editor, Microwaves & RF

I am Executive Editor of Microwaves & RF, an all-digital publication that broadly covers all aspects of wireless communications. More particularly, we're keeping a close eye on technologies in the consumer-oriented 5G, 6G, IoT, M2M, and V2X markets, in which much of the wireless market's growth will occur in this decade and beyond. I work with a great team of editors to provide engineers, developers, and technical managers with interesting and useful articles and videos on a regular basis. Check out our free newsletters to see the latest content.

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About me:

In his long career in the B2B electronics-industry media, David Maliniak has held editorial roles as both generalist and specialist. As Components Editor and, later, as Editor in Chief of EE Product News, David gained breadth of experience in covering the industry at large. In serving as EDA/Test and Measurement Technology Editor at Electronic Design, he developed deep insight into those complex areas of technology. Most recently, David worked in technical marketing communications at Teledyne LeCroy, leaving to rejoin the EOEM B2B publishing world in January 2020. David earned a B.A. in journalism at New York University.