ATTENUATORS - SMT
5
5 - 96
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
20 Alpha Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order On-line at www.hittite.com
GaAs MMIC VOLTAGE-VARIABLE
ATTENUATOR, DC - 14 GHz
General Description
Features
Functional Diagram
Wide Bandwidth: DC - 14 GHz
Low Phase Shift vs. Attenuation
30 dB Attenuation Range
Simpli ed Voltage Control
3 x 3 x 1 mm SMT Package
Electrical Speci cations, TA = +25° C, 50 ohm system
Typical Applications
The HMC346LP3 / HMC346LP3E is ideal for:
• Basestation Infrastructure
• Fiber Optics & Broadband Telecom
• Microwave Radio & VSAT
• Military Radios, Radar, & ECM
• Test Instrumentation
The HMC346LP3 & HMC346LP3E are pabsorp-
tive Voltage Variable Attenuators (VVA) in low cost
leadless surface mount plastic packages operating
from DC - 14 GHz. It features an on-chip reference
attenuator for use with an external op-amp to provide
simple single voltage attenuation control, 0 to -3V.
The device is ideal in designs where an analog DC
control signal must control RF signal levels over a 30
dB amplitude range. This VVA is an excellent alterna-
tive to the HMC121C8.
Parameter Min Typical Max Units
Insertion Loss DC - 10 GHz
DC - 14 GHz
1. 7
2.8
2.2
3.3
dB
dB
Attenuation Range DC - 10 GHz
DC - 14 GHz
27
22
30
27
dB
dB
Return Loss DC - 14 GHz 5 10 dB
Switching Characteristics tRISE, tFALL (10/90% RF):
tON, tOFF (50% CTL to 10/90% RF):
2
8
ns
ns
Input Power for 0.25 dB Compression (0.5 - 8 GHz) Min. Atten:
Atten. >2 dB:
+8
-4
dBm
dBm
Input Third Order Intercept (0.5 - 8 GHz)
(Two-tone Input Power = -8 dBm Each Tone)
Min. Atten:
Atten. >2 dB:
+25
+10
dBm
dBm
HMC346LP3 / 346LP3E
v05.1008
ATTENUATORS - SMT
5
5 - 97
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
20 Alpha Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order On-line at www.hittite.com
Relative Attenuation
Relative Attenuation vs.
Control Voltage @ 10 GHz
Insertion Loss vs. Temperature
Return Loss vs. Attenuation
Relative Phase Input IP3 vs. Attenuation*
*Two-tone input power = -8 dBm each tone, 1 MHz spacing.
-35
-30
-25
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
0246810121416
MIN
5 dB
MAX
RETURN LOSS (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
-3
-2.5
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
V1
V2
CONTROL VOLTAGE (Vdc)
RELATIVE ATTENUATION (dB)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0246810121416
0 dB
3 dB
6 dB
10 dB
INPUT IP3 (dBm)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
0246810121416
5 dB
10 dB
15 dB
20 dB
25 dB
30 dB
max
RELATIVE PHASE (DEG)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
0246810121416
ATTENUATION (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
0246810121416
+25 C
-40 C
+85 C
INSERTION LOSS (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
HMC346LP3 / 346LP3E
v05.1008
GaAs MMIC VOLTAGE-VARIABLE
ATTENUATOR, DC - 14 GHz
ATTENUATORS - SMT
5
5 - 98
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
20 Alpha Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order On-line at www.hittite.com
*Two-tone input power = -8 dBm each tone, 1 MHz spacing.
0.25 dB Compression vs. Attenuation 1 dB Compression vs. Attenuation
Input IP2 vs. Attenuation*
Second Harmonic
vs. Attenuation, Pin = -8 dBm
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
0246810121416
0 dB
3 dB
6 dB
10 dB
INPUT IP2 (dBm)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
-5
0
5
10
15
20
0246810121416
0 dB (REF)
6 dB
INPUT P1dB (dBm)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
0246810121416
0 dB (REF)
6 dB
INPUT 0.25dB (dBm)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
0246810121416
0 dB
3 dB
6 dB
10 dB
SECOND HARMONIC (dBc)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
HMC346LP3 / 346LP3E
v05.1008
GaAs MMIC VOLTAGE-VARIABLE
ATTENUATOR, DC - 14 GHz
ATTENUATORS - SMT
5
5 - 99
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
20 Alpha Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order On-line at www.hittite.com
Outline Drawing
Absolute Maximum Ratings
RF Input Power +18 dBm
Control Voltage Range +1 to -5V
Storage Temperature -65 to +150 °C
Operating Temperature -40 to +85 °C
ESD Sensitivity (HBM) Class 1A
ELECTROSTATIC SENSITIVE DEVICE
OBSERVE HANDLING PRECAUTIONS
Part Number Package Body Material Lead Finish MSL Rating Package Marking [3]
HMC346LP3 Low Stress Injection Molded Plastic Sn/Pb Solder MSL1 [1] 346
XXXX
HMC346LP3E RoHS-compliant Low Stress Injection Molded Plastic 100% matte Sn MSL1 [2] 346
XXXX
[1] Max peak re ow temperature of 235 °C
[2] Max peak re ow temperature of 260 °C
[3] 4-Digit lot number XXXX
Package Information
NOTES:
1. LEADFRAME MATERIAL: COPPER ALLOY
2. DIMENSIONS ARE IN INCHES [MILLIMETERS]
3. LEAD SPACING TOLERANCE IS NON-CUMULATIVE
4. PAD BURR LENGTH SHALL BE 0.15mm MAXIMUM.
PAD BURR HEIGHT SHALL BE 0.05mm MAXIMUM.
5. PACKAGE WARP SHALL NOT EXCEED 0.05mm.
6. ALL GROUND LEADS AND GROUND PADDLE MUST BE
SOLDERED TO PCB RF GROUND.
7. REFER TO HITTITE APPLICATION NOTE FOR SUGGESTED
LAND PATTERN.
HMC346LP3 / 346LP3E
v05.1008
GaAs MMIC VOLTAGE-VARIABLE
ATTENUATOR, DC - 14 GHz
ATTENUATORS - SMT
5
5 - 100
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
20 Alpha Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order On-line at www.hittite.com
Pin Descriptions
Pin Number Function Description Interface Schematic
1, 3, 7, 10, 12 GND Package bottom has exposed metal paddle that must also be
connected to PCB RF ground.
2, 11 RF1
RF2
This pin is DC coupled and matched to 50 Ohm. Blocking
capacitors are required if the RF line potential is not equal to
0V.
4, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16 N/C This pin should be connected to PCB RF ground.
5, 8 V2, V1 Control input (master).
6 I Control input (slave).
External op-amp control circuit maintains impedance match while attenuation is varied. Input control ranges from 0 Volts
(min. attenuation) to -3.0 Volts (max. attenuation.)
Single-Line Control Driver
HMC346LP3 / 346LP3E
v05.1008
GaAs MMIC VOLTAGE-VARIABLE
ATTENUATOR, DC - 14 GHz
ATTENUATORS - SMT
5
5 - 101
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
20 Alpha Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order On-line at www.hittite.com
Evaluation PCB
The circuit board used in the  nal application
should be generated with proper RF circuit design
techniques. Signal lines at the RF ports should be
50 ohm impedance and the package ground leads
and package bottom should be connected directly
to the PCB RF ground plane, similar to that shown
above. The evaluation circuit board shown above is
available from Hittite Microwave Corporation upon
request.
Item Description
J1 - J2 PCB Mount SMA RF Connector
J3 - J6 DC Pin
U1 HMC346LP3 / HMC346LP3E VVA
PCB [2] 105695 Evaluation PCB
[1] Reference this number when ordering complete evaluation PCB
[2] Circuit Board Material: Rogers 4350
List of Materials for Evaluation PCB 105709 [1]
HMC346LP3 / 346LP3E
v05.1008
GaAs MMIC VOLTAGE-VARIABLE
ATTENUATOR, DC - 14 GHz