The HMC712ALP3CE from ADI is an absorptive Voltage Variable Attenuator (VVA) that operates from 5 to 26.5 GHz. It has an attenuation range of 28 dB and can handle up to 28 dBm of input power. The ROHS complaint attenuator has two shunt-type attenuators which are controlled by two analog voltages, Vctrl1 and Vctrl2. Optimum linearity performance of the attenuator is achieved by first varying Vctrl1 of the 1st attenuation stage from -5V to 0V with Vctrl2 fixed at -5V. The control voltage of the 2nd attenuation stage, Vctrl2, should then be varied from -5V to 0V, with Vctrl1 fixed at 0V.
Furthermore, if the Vctrl1 and Vctrl2 pins are connected together it is possible to achieve the full analog attenuation range with only a small degradation in input IP3 performance.
This Attenuator is available in a 3 x 3 mm QFN leadless package and is ideal for VSAT radio, microwave sensors, military, ECM and radar applications.
