Guerrilla RF is now sampling the GRF6402, the first of a new family of 0.25 dB step DSAs (Digital Step Attenuators). The attenuator utilizes a state-of-the-art SOI process which is now being leveraged for many of the company’s new signal chain offerings.
As a 7-bit, 31.75 dB range device, the GRF6402 has an SPI interface for serial programming, as well as three externally defined address bits which allow up to eight DSAs to share a common SPI bus. The addressing scheme reduces the number of dedicated latch-enable pins by a factor of 8x.
In addition to supporting traditional serial programming, the GRF6402 also includes a novel ‘Rapid Fire’ selection pin which allows the device to be immediately switched into a secondary pre-defined attenuation state – thus circumventing the delays associated with a typical SPI programming transaction. This feature is an enabler for TDD applications since a single DSA can now be used for TX and RX modes. The ‘Rapid Fire’ feature can also enable ‘fast attack’ signal chain protection schemes where it becomes imperative to quickly switch in additional attenuation as quickly as possible.
In terms of performance, the GRF6402 can cover the entire 50 MHz to 6 GHz range while maintaining precise and monotonic gain stepping. Glitching has been minimized to < 2 dB for all steps. The device delivers up to 30.5 dBm of IP0.1dB, 55 dBm of IIP3, and a low IL of less than 1.4 dB at 2 GHz.
“The GRF6402 is a critical component for GRF as we continue to expand our portfolio to capture additional blocks within RF signal chains,” says Ryan Pratt, CEO, and founder of Guerrilla RF. “We worked very closely with our strategic customers to define the features and performance of these cores, and we are confident our entire customer base will find these devices attractive for a variety of wireless infrastructure applications. As a drop-in compatible device, we expect customers will be drawn to the GRF6402 since it offers a compelling blend of performance and added features.”
The GRF6402 comes in a 3 x 3 mm, 16-pin QFN package, and it adheres to a de facto standard footprint followed by many competitive alternatives.
Samples and evaluation boards are available now for the GRF6402.
Click here to learn more about GRF6402.
