RF Micro Devices Inc. (Booth 1402) will be spotlighting new voltage controlled attenuators (VCA), the RFSA2013 and RFSA2023 at IMS 2011. The new VCA components, which operate from 5 V and 3 V supplies, respectively, cover a wideband frequency range of 50 to 4000MHz and satisfy a wide range of applications across end markets.

These fully monolithic VCAs feature exceptional linearity with a third order intercept point greater than 50 dBm over a 30 dB gain control range. The devices incorporate a revolutionary new circuit architecture that provides industry-leading overall performance in linearity, attenuation range, DC current and bandwidth, as well as a linear attenuation profile versus control voltage. These VCAs also employ internal temperature compensation to provide a stable attenuation profile over an operating temperature range from -40° to +85°C.

Competing VCAs, typically using PIN diodes, have poor attenuation over temperature and a nonlinear attenuation profile versus control voltage. To correct performance shortcomings, these competing VCAs require further off-chip calibration and correction circuitry, which consumes valuable board space, adds cost and requires additional DC power. By comparison, RFMD’s innovative products provide customers a complete monolithic solution in a small 3mm x 3mm QFN package.

John Pelose, General Manager of RFMD’s Wireless Products Business Unit, said, “RFMD’s new attenuator products help customers significantly reduce cost by lowering the overall component count and reducing power consumption for the attenuator application. We are very pleased to offer our customers additional industry-leading products that can not only lower overall system cost but increase end-product performance.”