International Manufacturing Services, Inc. (IMS) is now producing temperature variable attenuators (TVAs) for a wide range of applications to 20 GHz and beyond. Its new AV-0607-C TVAs are ideal for RF power amplifiers (PAs), broadcast equipment and multiband communications systems. With their low-noise, thin-film construction the TVAs exhibit decreasing attenuation with increasing temperature to help offset, for example, loss of PA or low-noise-amplifier gain at higher frequencies and temperatures. They are supplied with well-defined temperature characteristics of attenuation from 10 MHz to 20 GHz for designers seeking to simulate their impact on signal attenuation and gain in circuits and designs.
The AV-0607-C TVAs are available with attenuation ranges of 2 to 9 dB and power ratings of 160 to 200 mW from DC to 24 GHz. The 50 Ω SMT attenuators measure only 0.060 × 0.075 × 0.043 in. within 0607 cases to and can fit the smallest and tightest RF designs. They are built for operating temperatures from -55°C to +125°C. They maintain stable, accurate attenuation with temperature, with typical attenuation accuracy of ±1.0 dB from DC to 15 GHz and ±1.8 dB or better to 20 GHz and beyond. The AV-0607-C TVAs maintain steady signal levels in harsh environments, including in the most demanding aerospace and defense applications, such as radars and satellite communications systems.