The latest generation of Peregrine’s PE4312 next-generation UltraCMOS digital step attenuator (DSA) offers several improvements over the DSA it succeeds, the PE4302. Improved features include attenuation accuracy (±0.15 + 2% of attenuation setting), linearity (IIP3 of 59 dBm), and switching speed (500 ns).
The PE4312 meets a low insertion loss of 2.1 dB at 4 GHz at any power supply level between 2.3 and 5.5 V. It also handles a wide temperature range between –40°C and 105°C and supports both 1.8-V and 3-V control logic.
A novel architecture provides safe attenuation-state-transition behaviour, which prevents positive power spikes that occur during attenuation-state changes when RF input power is applied. This feature simplifies the digital-interface design, improves signal quality, and prevents damage to power amplifier sub-assemblies.
This DSA is targeted at wireless- and broadband-infrastructure equipment, land mobile radios (LMRs), test-and-measurement equipment, and military RF applications.