A Low-Cost Surface Mount

PIN Diode π Attenuator

Application Note 1048

Introduction (Pi) attenuator which utilizes plastic Appendix A), the PIN diode can be
Analog attenuators find wide ap- packaged surface mounted devices. used as a current controlled vari-
plication in RF and microwave able resistor. Three diodes can be
networks. Realized as either GaAs Background used to replace the fixed resistors
MMICs or PIN diode networks, The basic π fixed attenuator is of the π circuit to create a variable
these circuits are used to set the shown, along with its design equa- attenuator, and such circuits have
power level of an RF signal from a tions, in Figure 1. Shunt resistors been described in the literature.
voltage control. In commercial R1 and the series resistor R3 are For example, a three diode π atten-
applications, such as cellular tele- set to achieve some desired value uator1 is shown in Figure 2 which
phone, PCN (Personal Communi- of attenuation A = 20 log(K) while provides good performance over
cation Networks), wireless LANs simultaneously providing an input the frequency range of 10 MHz to
(Local Area Networks) and porta- and output impedance which over 500 MHz. However, the use of
ble radios, cost is a significant matches the characteristic imped- three diodes as the three variable
consideration in the design of such ance of the system. resistors in a π attenuator leads to
attenuators. This paper describes asymmetry in the network, which
a low cost wideband PIN diode π When operated at frequencies well results in a rather complicated
above its cutoff frequency fc (see bias network.
R3
6.81 kΩ 4.7 µH 10 µH 4.7 µH 21.5 Ω
Zo Zo V+ Vc

R1 R1
.1 4700 pF 4700 pF .1

K+1 .02 D2 .02

R1 = Zo .02
K-1
IN/OUT IN/OUT
Zo 1
R3 = K-
2 K
D1 D3
WHERE K IS THE INPUT TO OUTPUT
450 Ω 1.47 kΩ
VOLTAGE RATIO AND Zo IS THE
IMPEDANCE OF THE SOURCE AND LOAD

Figure 1. Basic π Attenuator. .02 .02

1 “ThePIN Diode,” from the Hewlett- D1, D2, D3 = HP 5082-3081

Packard RF and Microwave Applications
Seminar, 1973. Figure 2. 3 Diode Attenuator.

2-29 5966-0449E
Four Diode π which controls the attenuation of provide for the correct split of bias
Attenuator the network. The only drawback to current between series and shunt
If resistor R3 is replaced by two using two series diodes in place of diodes required to maintain good
diodes, as shown in Figure 3, sev- one is the slight increase in inser- impedance match over the entire
eral benefits result. First, since the tion loss, amounting to less than dynamic range of attenuation.
maximum isolation of the network 0.5 dB additional loss. R1 and R2 While analysis can be used to de-
is set by the capacitive reactance serve as bias returns for series termine the values of R1 through R4,
of the series diode(s), the use of diodes D2 and D3; they must be set it is much quicker and easier to select
two diodes in place of one will high enough to minimize insertion them empirically.
increase the maximum attenuation loss; however, if they are set too
or double the upper frequency lim- high, an excessively large control The HP HSMP-3810 series of sur-
it for a given value of attenuation. voltage Vc will result. If the design- face mount PIN diodes features
Second, the twin diodes which er does not require very large good distortion performance, low
occupy the position of the series bandwidth, some savings in inser- cutoff frequency and low price. To
resistor are physically set up 180° tion loss can be achieved by add- save cost and space on the board,
out of phase, resulting in the can- ing chokes between R1 and R2 and two HSMP-3814 common-cathode
cellation of even order distortion the RF line, using these inductors pairs were chosen over four indi-
products2. Third, the resulting to decouple the resistors from the vidual HSMP-3810 diodes. Having
attenuator network is symmetrical RF portion of the network. R3 and chosen these diodes, and selecting
and the bias network is substantial- R4 are chosen to match the charac- V+ = 5V and 0 ≤ Vc ≤ 15V, the val-
ly simplified. V+ is a fixed voltage, teristics of the specific PIN diodes ues of R1 through R4 were empiri-
and Vc is the variable voltage used; properly selected, they will cally determined. Values for all com-
ponents used in the tested circuit are
shown in Figure 3.
Vc
C3 The attenuator was laid out on a
R3 2␣ inch square of 0.032" thick HT-2
PC board, as shown in Figure 5.
HSMP-3814 HSMP-3814
C1 C2
This material, a high performance
alternative to conventional FR4, is
IN/OUT IN/OUT described in detail in Appendix B.
D2 D3
Using chip resistors and capacitors,
D1 D4 the entire attenuator occupies a
0.5␣ in 2 space as shown in Figure␣ 5.
R1 R2
R4
R5
R4 Test Results
C4 C5
In Figure 6, the measured attenua-
V+= 5.0 V
tion vs. frequency is given for sev-
eral values of control voltage.
Good performance is obtained over
the frequency range of 300 KHz to
COMPONENT VALUE MFG./PART NUMBER 3␣ GHz. Figure 7 contains the plot of
R1,R2 560 Ω KYOCERA CR21-561JB1 return loss vs. frequency at the
maximum and minimum values of
R3 330 Ω KYOCERA CR21-331JB1 Vc. For all other values, the return
R4 1640 Ω KYOCERA CR21-162JB1

R5 680 Ω KYOCERA CR21-6B1JB1

C1-C5 47000 pF KYOCERA 0805Z473M2P03

2Raymond Waugh, “A Low Distortion PIN

D1-D4 - HEWLETT-PACKARD HSMP-3814
Diode Switch Using Surface Mount
Devices,” Proceedings of RF EXPO WEST,
Figure 3. Wideband 4 Diode π Attenuator. pp 455 - 461, Feb. 5 - 7, 1991.

2-30
loss was higher; the data for Vc = 0 intercept points; for a detailed flat attenuation over an extremely
represents the worst case. In Fig- explanation of intercept points, wide band. Using surface mount
ure 8, a plot is given for attenua- see Appendix C. devices, it has the additional bene-
tion vs. control voltage at a number fit of being low cost. Realized as a
of frequencies. Finally, the inter- Conclusion thin-film or thick-film hybrid cir-
modulation distortion performance As can be seen from these data, cuit with chip PIN diodes, it would
of the attenuator is plotted in the four diode π attenuator pro- fit within a TO-8 can.
Figure␣ 9. The data are given as vides very good match and very

Vc

,,, ,,,
1 2

V+

Figure 4. Circuit Board Layout.

2-31



,,,
47,000 pF
47,000 pF CHIP 47,000 pF
KYOCERA
KYOCERA RESISTOR KYOCERA

CHIP CHIP
RESISTOR RESISTOR

47,000 pF
47,000 pF KYOCERA VIA HOLE TO GROUND
KYOCERA CHIP
RESISTOR

Figure 5. Detail of Circuit Layout.

0 0 100
Vc = 15 V
10 6V
20 2.4 V 10 Vc = 0 V
INSERTION LOSS, dB

30
ATTENUATION, dB

1.7 V
RETURN LOSS, dB

40 1.3 V 20

50

60 1.17 V 30 10

Vc = 15 V
70 10 MHz
1.1 V
100 MHz
80 40
1 GHz
90 Vc = 0 V 3 GHz
100 50 2
0.3 1 10 100 1000 10 100 1000 0.3 1 10 15 30
FREQUENCY, MHz FREQUENCY, MHz CONTROL VOLTAGE Vc, VOLTS
Figure 6. Attenuation vs. Frequency. Figure 7. Return Loss vs. Frequency. Figure 8. Attenuation vs. Control
Voltage.
2-32
Appendix A - PIN Diode good mechanical stability and pute several significant intermodu-
Cutoff Frequency durability at low cost. However, it lation distortion products from the
The PIN diode is generally consid- suffers from high losses and a equation
ered to be a current controlled RF dielectric constant which is poorly
resistor. However, this model is controlled and strongly Kf1 ± Mf2
accurate only at frequencies well frequency-dependent. The latter
above the diode’s cutoff frequency, exhibits very good RF properties, where K, M = 1, 2, 3, ....
fc = 1 / 2πτ, where τ is the minority but is expensive, suffers from poor
carrier lifetime of the device. At mechanical stability, and cannot The order of the distortion product
frequencies 10 times fc, a PIN di- survive certain SMT (Surface is given by the sum
ode can accurately be modelled as Mount Technology) processing N = K + M.
a current controlled resistance in steps. Hewlett-Packard’s new
parallel with a small (and constant) HT-2 board material provides dura- Of the infinite number of distortion
junction capacitance (neglecting bility and high temperature perfor- products described by this equa-
package parasitics). At frequencies mance which are actually superior tion, one is of special significance.
under 0.1 fc, the PIN diode behaves to FR4 with a controlled dielectric The third order products given in
as an ordinary PN junction diode. constant (εr ≅ 4.3) and a loss tan- Figure 1 are important because
For 0.1 fc ≤ frequencies ≤ 10 fc, the gent which is half that of FR4. they exist on either side of the orig-
characteristics of the PIN diode These properties make it ideal for inal signals f1 and f2 and cannot be
become very complex; it will microstrip circuits operating removed by filtering.
generally behave as a beyond 6 GHz.
frequency-dependent resistance The behavior of all types of distor-
shunted by a very large frequency At the time of this printing, HT-2 is tion products is shown on Figure
and current dependent inductance available through Dan Schutte of 10. As can be seen, an increase of 1
or capacitance. Additionally, dis- International Circuits, 1319 South dBm in the applied signal’s power
tortion performance will usually be Arkle Street, Visalia, CA. will result in a 2 dBm increase in
very poor when operating in this the second order products and a 3
frequency range. For the Appendix C - The dBm increase in the third order
HSMP-3810 series of diodes, Intercept Point products. Since the level of mea-
τ␣ ≅␣ 1500 nsec, resulting in a cutoff Of the several types of distortion sured distortion is dependent upon
frequency of 100 kHz. This diode products, one of the most trouble- the level of the input signal, it is
should therefore provide some is intermodulation distortion. convenient to specify distortion in
frequency-independent values of Unlike harmonic distortion, this is
pure resistance at frequencies a multi-tone product resulting
above 1 MHz. However, because when two or more signals of equal TWO-TONE, THIRD ORDER INTERMODULATION
DISTORTION INPUT INTERCEPT POINT
this diode has been optimized for (or unequal) amplitude mix in a vs. ATTENUATION SETTING
50
wideband attenuator applications, non-linear device such as a PIN
TWO SIGNALS, SEPARATED BY
its characteristics remain generally diode. The frequency of the result- 1 MHz, CENTERED AT . .
INPUT INTERCEPT POINT, dBm

well behaved down to frequencies ing unwanted signal is related to 45

300 MHz
below fc, as can be seen from the those of the original input voltages.
300␣ k Hz measured data shown in In certain industries, the number 40
100 MHz
Figure 6. of input signals may exceed 10,
and both test and analysis become 35 30 MHz
Appendix B - Board very complex. To keep matters as
Material simple as possible, many semicon-
30
Several printed circuit board mate- ductor manufacturers make 10 MHz

rials are in common use for RF two-tone measurements using two

25
circuits such as this one. Two of voltages which are equal in ampli- 0 10 20 30 40 50
ATTENUATION SETTING, dB
the most popular are FR4 and tude and closely spaced in frequen-
fiberglass reinforced PTFE cy. Given two such input signals at Figure 9. Measured Distortion
(Teflon®). The former provides frequencies f1 and f2, one can com- Performance.

2-33
terms of a fictitious constant, the the output power of the distortion The equation for input intercept
intercept point. This is the point at products. For this reason, and be- point is
which the extrapolated fundamen- cause the input intercept point
tal signal and the extrapolated dis- varies less with attenuation, the N(Pin - α) - Pdist
tortion product meet. In making input intercept point is the one IPin = ______________ + α , indBm
distortion measurements, it is most most often calculated and speci- N-1
convenient to measure the input fied. Using it, we can neatly specify where N = order of distortion prod-
power of the signal(s) applied to the performance for a given type of uct, and all power levels are speci-
the DUT (Device Under Test) and distortion using a single number. fied in dBm.

OUTPUT INTERCEPT POINT

OUTPUT POWER, dBm

FUNDAMENTAL
SLOPE = 1

INPUT
INTERCEPT
Pout = Pin - α POINT

INPUT POWER, dBm

Pin

DISTORTION
PRODUCT
PDIST SLOPE = N

Figure 10. Behavior of Distortion Products.

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