AttenuAtors - sMt
1
For price, delivery and to place orders: Hittite Microwave Corporation, 2 Elizabeth Drive, Chelmsford, MA 01824
Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373 Order On-line at www.hittite.com
Application Support: Phone: 978-250-3343 or apps@hittite.com
General Description
Features
Functional Diagram
RoHS Compliant Product
4 dB LSB Steps to 12 dB
Single Positive Control Per BIT, 0/+3V
Typical Bit Error : ±0.2 dB
Miniature SOT 26 Package: 9 mm2
Included in the HMC-DK004 Designer’s Kit
Electrical Specications,
TA = +25° C, Vdd = +3V to +5V & Vctl = 0/Vdd (Unless Otherwise Stated)
Typical Applications
The HMC291 & HMC291E are general purpose
broadband 2-bit positive control GaAs IC digital
attenuators in 6 lead SOT26 surface mount plastic
packages. Covering 0.7 to 4 GHz, the insertion loss
is typically less than 0.7 to 1.3 dB. The attenuator
bit values are 4 (LSB) and 8 dB for a total attenuation
of 12 dB. Accuracy is excellent at ± 0.2 dB typical
with an IIP3 of up to +54 dBm. Two bit control voltage
inputs, toggled between 0 and +3 to +5 volts, are
used to select each attenuation state at less than 50
uA each. A single Vdd bias of +3 to +5 volts applied
through an external 5K Ohm resistor is required.
The HMC291 & HMC291E are ideal for:
• Cellular
• PCS, ISM, MMDS
• WLL Handset & Base Station
Parameter Frequency Min. Typical Max. Units
Insertion Loss 0.7 - 1.4 GHz
1.4 - 2.3 GHz
2.3 - 2.7 GHz
2.7 - 4.0 GHz
0.7
0.9
1.0
1.1
1.0
1.3
1.4
1.6
dB
dB
dB
dB
Attenuation Range 0.7 - 4.0 GHz 12 dB
Return Loss (RF1 & RF2, All Atten. States) 0.7 - 1.4 GHz
1.4 - 4.0 GHz
14
16
17
22
dB
dB
Attenuation Accuracy: (Referenced to Insertion Loss)
All Attenuation States
All Attenuation States
All Attenuation States
All Attenuation States
0.7 - 1.4 GHz
1.4 - 2.3 GHz
2.3 - 2.7 GHz
2.7 - 4.0 GHz
± 0.3 + 3% of Atten. Setting Max
± 0.2 + 2% of Atten. Setting Max
± 0.2 + 3% of Atten. Setting Max
± 0.4 + 5% of Atten. Setting Max
dB
dB
dB
dB
Input Power for 0.1 dB Compression 5V
3V
0.7 - 4.0 GHz 26
22
dBm
dBm
Input Third Order Intercept Point
(Two-tone Input Power = 0 dBm Each Tone)
5V
3V
0.7 - 4.0 GHz 54
50
dBm
dBm
Switching Characteristics
tRISE, tFALL (10/90% RF)
tON, tOFF (50% CTL to 10/90% RF)
0.7 - 4.0 GHz
560
600
ns
ns
4 dB LSB GaAs MMIC 2-BIT DIGITAL
ATTENUATOR, 0.7 - 4.0 GHz
HMC291 / 291E
v03.0512
For price, delivery and to place orders: Hittite Microwave Corporation, 2 Elizabeth Drive, Chelmsford, MA 01824
Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373 Order On-line at www.hittite.com
Application Support: Phone: 978-250-3343 or apps@hittite.com
AttenuAtors - AnALoG - sMt
2
Absolute Bit Error vs. Attenuation State
Return Loss RF1, RF2 Insertion Loss
Normalized Attenuation
Note: All Data Typical Over Voltage (+3V to +5V) & Temperature (-40 to +85 deg. C.).
Absolute Bit Error vs. Frequency Relative Phase vs. Frequency
-2.5
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
+25 C
-40 C
+85 C
INSERTION LOSS (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
4 dB
8 dB
12 dB
RELATIVE PHASE (deg.)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
4 dB
8 dB
12 dB
BIT ERROR (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
4 6 8 10 12
0.9 GHz
1.9 GHz
2.4 GHz
3.5 GHz
BIT ERROR (dB)
ATTENUATION STATE (dB)
-14
-12
-10
-8
-6
-4
-2
0
0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
4 dB
8 dB
12 dB
NORMALIZED ATTENUATION (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
-35
-30
-25
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
4 dB
8 dB
12 dB
RETURN LOSS (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
HMC291 / 291E
v03.0512
4 dB LSB GaAs MMIC 2-BIT DIGITAL
ATTENUATOR, 0.7 - 4.0 GHz
For price, delivery and to place orders: Hittite Microwave Corporation, 2 Elizabeth Drive, Chelmsford, MA 01824
Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373 Order On-line at www.hittite.com
Application Support: Phone: 978-250-3343 or apps@hittite.com
AttenuAtors - AnALoG - sMt
3
Control & Bias VoltagesTruth Table
Absolute Maximum Ratings
Outline Drawing
Control Voltage Input Attenuation
Setting
RF1 - RF2
V1
8 dB
V2
4 dB
High High Reference I.L.
High Low 4 dB
Low High 8 dB
Low Low 12 dB
Max. Atten.
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 +0.2V @ 20 uA Max.
High Vdd ± 0.2V @ 50 uA Max.
Note: Vdd = +3V to 5V ± 0.2V
Control Voltage (V1, V2) Vdd + 0.5 Vdc
Bias Voltage (Vdd) +8.0 Vdc
Storage Temperature -65 to +150 °C
Operating Temperature -40 to +85 °C
RF Input Power (0.7 - 4 GHz) +28 dBm
ELECTROSTATIC SENSITIVE DEVICE
OBSERVE HANDLING PRECAUTIONS
NOTES:
1. LEADFRAME MATERIAL: COPPER ALLOY
2. DIMENSIONS ARE IN INCHES [MILLIMETERS].
3. DIMENSION DOES NOT INCLUDE MOLDFLASH OF 0.15mm PER SIDE.
4. DIMENSION DOES NOT INCLUDE MOLDFLASH OF 0.25mm PER SIDE.
5. ALL GROUND LEADS MUST BE SOLDERED TO PCB RF GROUND.
Package Information
Part Number Package Body Material Lead Finish MSL Rating Package Marking
HMC291 Low Stress Injection Molded Plastic Sn/Pb Solder MSL1 [1] H291
XXXX
HMC291E RoHS-compliant Low Stress Injection Molded Plastic 100% matte Sn MSL1 [2] 291E
XXXX
[1] Max peak reow temperature of 235 °C
[2] Max peak reow temperature of 260 °C
HMC291 / 291E
v03.0512
4 dB LSB GaAs MMIC 2-BIT DIGITAL
ATTENUATOR, 0.7 - 4.0 GHz
For price, delivery and to place orders: Hittite Microwave Corporation, 2 Elizabeth Drive, Chelmsford, MA 01824
Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373 Order On-line at www.hittite.com
Application Support: Phone: 978-250-3343 or apps@hittite.com
AttenuAtors - AnALoG - sMt
4
Application Circuit
DC blocking capacitors C1 & C2 are required on RF1 &
RF2. Choose C1 = C2 = 100 ~ 300 pF to allow lowest
customer specic frequency to pass with minimal loss.
R1 = 5K Ohm is required to supply voltage to the circuit
through either PIN 3 or PIN 1.
HMC291 / 291E
v03.0512
4 dB LSB GaAs MMIC 2-BIT DIGITAL
ATTENUATOR, 0.7 - 4.0 GHz
The circuit board used in the application should use
RF circuit design techniques. Signal lines should
have 50 Ohm impedance while the package ground
leads should be connected directly to the ground
plane similar to that shown. A sufficient number
of via holes should be used to connect the top and
bottom ground planes. The evaluation circuit board
as shown is available from Hittite Microwave Corpo-
ration upon request.
List of Materials for Evaluation PCB 103372 [1]
Item Description
J1 - J2 PCB Mount SMA Connector
J3 - J6 DC Pin
R1 5 kOhm Resistor, 0402 Chip
R2, R3 100 Ohm Resistor, 0402 Chip
C1, C2
0402 Chip Capacitor, Select for Lowest
Frequency of
Operation
U1 HMC291 / HMC291E Digital Attenuator
PCB [2] 103370 Evaluation PCB 1.5” x 1.5”
[1] Reference this number when ordering complete evaluation PCB
[2] Circuit Board Material: Rogers 4350
Evaluation Circuit Board
* R2 = R3 = 100 Ohm.
These resistors are optional
and may be used to enhance
decoupling of the RF path
from the control inputs.