HMC624ALP4E
v00.0912
0.5 dB LSB GaAs MMIC 6-BIT
DIGITAL ATTENUATOR, DC - 6 GHz
Typical Applications
The HMC624ALP4E is ideal for:
Features
0.5 dB LSB Steps to 31.5 dB
Power-Up State Selection
High Input IP3: +55 dBm
Low Insertion Loss: 2.2 dB @ 3.5 GHz
TTL/CMOS Compatible, Serial, Parallel
or Latched Parallel Control
±0.25 dB Typical Step Error
Single +3V or +5V Supply
24 Lead 4x4mm SMT Package: 16mm
2
ATTENUATORS - DIGITAL - SMT
• Cellular/3G Infrastructure
• WiBro / WiMAX / 4G
• Microwave Radio & VSAT
• Test Equipment and Sensors
• IF & RF Applications
Functional Diagram
General Description
The HMC624ALP4E is a broadband 6-bit GaAs IC
Digital Attenuator in a low cost leadless SMT package.
This versatile digital attenuator incorporates off-chip
AC ground capacitors for near DC operation, making
it suitable for a wide variety of RF and IF applications.
The dual mode control interface is CMOS/TTL
compatible, and accepts either a three wire serial
input or a 6 bit parallel word. The HMC624ALP4E also
features a user selectable power up state and a serial
output port for cascading other Hittite serial controlled
components. The HMC624ALP4E is housed in a
RoHS compliant 4x4 mm QFN leadless package, and
requires no external matching components.
Electrical Specifications,
Parameter
Insertion Loss
Attenuation Range
T
A
= +25° C, 50 Ohm System, with Vdd = +5V & Vctl = 0/+5V
(Unless Otherwise Noted)
Frequency (GHz)
DC - 3 GHz
3.0 - 6.0 GHz
Min.
Typ.
1.5
2.3
31.5
DC - 6 GHz
DC - 0.8 GHz
0.8 - 6.0 GHz
DC - 6 GHz
DC - 6 GHz
15
± (0.10 + 5% of Atten. Setting) Max.
± (0.30 + 3% of Atten. Setting) Max.
30
55
Max.
2.4
3.8
Units
dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
dBm
dBm
Return Loss (ATTIN, ATTOUT, All Atten. States)
Attenuation Accuracy: (Referenced to Insertion Loss)
All Attenuation States
Input Power for 0.1 dB Compression
Input Third Order Intercept Point
(Two-Tone Input Power = 10 dBm Each Tone)
Switching Speed
tRise, tFall (10 / 90% RF)
rON , tOFF (50% LE to 10 / 90% RF)
DC - 6 GHz
60
90
ns
ns
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
HMC624ALP4E
v00.0912
0.5 dB LSB GaAs MMIC 6-BIT
DIGITAL ATTENUATOR, DC - 6 GHz
Insertion Loss vs. Temperature
[1]
0
NORMALIZED ATTENUATION (dB)
-1
Normalized Attenuation
[1]
(Only Major States are Shown)
0
-5
-10
-15
-20
-25
-30
-35
-2
-3
-4
-5
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
FREQUENCY (GHz)
+25 C
+85 C
-40 C
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
FREQUENCY (GHz)
0.5 dB
2 dB
1 dB
4 dB
8 dB
16 dB
31.5 dB
Input Return Loss
[1]
0
-5
RETURN LOSS (dB)
(Only Major States are Shown)
Output Return Loss
[1]
0
-5
RETURN LOSS (dB)
-10
-15
-20
-25
-30
-35
-40
(Only Major States are Shown)
-10
-15
-20
-25
-30
-35
-40
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
FREQUENCY (GHz)
IL
0.5 dB
1 dB
2 dB
4 dB
8 dB
16 dB
31.5 dB
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
FREQUENCY (GHz)
IL
0.5 dB
1 dB
2 dB
4 dB
8 dB
16 dB
31.5 dB
Bit Error vs. Attenuation State
1
0.8
0.6
BIT ERROR (dB)
[1]
Bit Error vs. Frequency
[1]
(Only Major States are Shown)
2
1.5
1
BIT ERROR (dB)
0.5
0
-0.5
-1
-1.5
31.5 dB
0.4
0.2
0
-0.2
-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
-1
0
4
8
12
16
20
24
28
32
ATTENUATION STATE (dB)
100 MHz
500 MHz
2 GHz
3 GHz
4 GHz
1 GHz
-2
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
FREQUENCY (GHz)
[1] Data taken with bias tees on input and output RF ports. Vdd = +5V & Vctl = 0/+5V.
[2] Data taken with bias tees on input and output RF ports. Vdd = +3V & Vctl = 0/+3V.
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 - DIGITAL - SMT
2
INSERTION LOSS (dB)
HMC624ALP4E
v00.0912
0.5 dB LSB GaAs MMIC 6-BIT
DIGITAL ATTENUATOR, DC - 6 GHz
Worst Case Step Error
Between Successive Attenuation States
[1]
1
IP3 @ Major Attenuation States
[1]
70
ATTENUATORS - DIGITAL - SMT
0.8
0.6
STEP ERROR (dB)
0.4
0.2
0
-0.2
-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
FREQUENCY (GHz)
31.5dB
16dB
8dB
4dB
2dB
1dB
.5dB
IL
.5dB
1dB
60
IP3 (dBm)
50
40
30
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
FREQUENCY (GHz)
2dB
4dB
8dB
16dB
31.5dB
IP3 vs. Temperature, Min. Attn State
[1]
70
P0.1dB vs. Temperature, Min. Attn State
[1]
40
35
P0.1dB (dBm)
60
IP3 (dBm)
30
50
25
40
20
30
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
FREQUENCY (GHz)
+25 C
+85 C
-40 C
15
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
FREQUENCY (GHz)
+25 C
+85 C
-40 C
IP3 vs. Temperature, Min. Attn State
[1]
(Low Frequency Detail)
70
P0.1dB vs. Temperature, Min. Attn State
[1]
(Low Frequency Detail)
40
35
P0.1dB (dBm)
60
IP3 (dBm)
30
50
25
40
20
30
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
FREQUENCY (GHz)
+25 C
+85 C
-40 C
15
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
FREQUENCY (GHz)
+25 C
+85 C
-40 C
[1] Data taken with bias tees on input and output RF ports. Vdd = +5V & Vctl = 0/+5V.
[2] Data taken with bias tees on input and output RF ports. Vdd = +3V & Vctl = 0/+3V.
3
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
HMC624ALP4E
v00.0912
0.5 dB LSB GaAs MMIC 6-BIT
DIGITAL ATTENUATOR, DC - 6 GHz
IP3 vs. Temperature, Min. Attn State
[2]
70
P0.1dB vs. Temperature, Min. Attn State
[2]
40
35
60
P0.1dB (dBm)
IP3 (dBm)
30
50
25
40
20
30
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
FREQUENCY (GHz)
+25 C
+85 C
-40 C
15
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
FREQUENCY (GHz)
+25 C
+85 C
-40 C
IP3 vs. Temperature, Min. Attn State
[2]
(Low Frequency Detail)
70
P0.1dB vs. Temperature, Min. Attn State
[2]
(Low Frequency Detail)
40
60
P0.1dB (dBm)
IP3 (dBm)
35
30
50
25
40
20
30
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
FREQUENCY (GHz)
15
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
FREQUENCY (GHz)
+25 C
+85 C
-40 C
+25 C
+85 C
-40 C
Serial Control Interface
The HMC624ALP4E contains a 3-wire SPI compatible digital interface (SERIN, CLK, LE). The serial control interface
is activated when P/S is kept high. The 6-bit serial word must be loaded MSB first. The positive-edge sensitive CLK
and LE requires clean transitions. If mechanical switches are used, sufficient debouncing should be provided. When
LE is high, 6-bit data in the serial input register is transferred to the attenuator. When LE is high CLK is masked to
prevent data transition during output loading.
When P/S is low, 3-wire SPI interface inputs (SERIN, CLK, LE) are disabled and the input register is loaded with
parallel digital inputs (D0-D5). When LE is high, 6-bit parallel data changes the state of the part per truth table.
For all modes of operations, the state will stay constant while LE is kept low.
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 - DIGITAL - SMT
4
HMC624ALP4E
v00.0912
0.5 dB LSB GaAs MMIC 6-BIT
DIGITAL ATTENUATOR, DC - 6 GHz
Timing Diagram
(Latched Parallel Mode)
Parameter
Min.
[1]
70 ns
15 ns
20 ns
15 ns
10 ns
630 ns
10 ns
0 ns
10 ns
2 ns
Typ.
[1]
ATTENUATORS - DIGITAL - SMT
Min. serial period, t
SCK
Control set-up time, t
CS
Control hold-time, t
CH
LE setup-time, t
LN
Min. LE pulse width, t
LEW
Min LE pulse spacing, t
LES
Serial clock hold-time from LE, t
CKN
Hold Time, t
PH.
Latch Enable Minimum Width, t
LEN
Setup Time, t
PS
Parallel Mode
(Direct Parallel Mode & Latched Parallel Mode)
Note:
The parallel mode is enabled when P/S is set to low.
Direct Parallel Mode
- The attenuation state is changed by the control voltage inputs D0-D5 directly. The LE (Latch
Enable) must be at a logic high at all times to control the attenuator in this manner.
Latched Parallel Mode
- The attenuation state is selected using the control voltage inputs D0-D5 and set while the
LE is in the Low state. The attenuator will not change state while LE is Low. Once all Control Voltage Inputs are at the
desired states the LE is pulsed. See timing diagram above for reference.
Power-Up States
If LE is set to logic LOW at power-up, the logic state of
PUP1 and PUP2 determines the power-up state of the
part per PUP truth table. If the LE is set to logic HIGH
at power-up, the logic state of D0-D5 determines the
power-up state of the part per truth table. The attenu-
ator latches in the desired power-up state approxi-
mately 200 ms after power-up.
PUP Truth Table
LE
0
0
0
0
1
PUP1
0
1
0
1
X
PUP2
0
0
1
1
X
Relative Attenuation
-31.5
-24
-16
Insertion Loss
0 to -31.5 dB
Power-On Sequence
The ideal power-up sequence is: GND, Vdd, digital
inputs, RF inputs. The relative order of the digital
inputs are not important as long as they are powered
after Vdd / GND
Note: The logic state of D0 - D5 determines the power-
up state per truth table shown below when LE is high
at power-up.
Truth Table
Control Voltage Input
D5
High
D4
High
High
High
High
High
Low
High
Low
D3
High
High
High
High
Low
High
High
Low
D2
High
High
High
Low
High
High
High
Low
D1
High
High
Low
High
High
High
High
Low
D0
High
Low
High
High
High
High
High
Low
Reference
Insertion
Loss
0 dB
-0.5 dB
-1 dB
-2 dB
-4 dB
-8 dB
-16 dB
-31.5 dB
Bias Voltage
Vdd (V)
3
5
Idd (Typ.) (mA)
2.4
2.6
High
High
High
High
Control Voltage Table
State
Low
High
[1] Vdd = 5V
Vdd = +3V
0 to 0.5V @ 15 µA
2 to 3V @ 45 µA
Vdd = +5V
0 to 0.8V @ 15 µA
2 to 5V @ 65 µA
High
Low
Low
Any combination of the above states will provide an attenuation
equal to the sum of the bits selected.
5
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