REDMOND, Wash. – March 28, 2007 –
The
Electronics Group of Crane Aerospace & Electronics, a Crane Co. segment,
announced a new millimeterwave (MMW) fast settling digital attenuator.
This variable attenuator represents a significant advancement in control
device technology. Using very fast pin diodes coupled with state of the
art digital processing technology, the digital attenuator achieves
extremely fast switching times of less than 50 nanoseconds from serial
command to RF settling in addition to extremely accurate attenuation
settings over the full 31.5 dB of dynamic range.
Using a serial
control interface, the unit is readily adaptable into a complex RF
system that has many device interfaces and requires those devices to be
controlled from a central processor. The digital core processor
compensates for specific attenuator settings and operating temperature
to assure extremely accurate attenuator settings over the full dynamic
range and temperature extremes.
The RF circuit
design uses a well-proven analog attenuator technology based on PIN
diodes. The diode current is precisely controlled to achieve the exact
level of attenuation desired for the particular system setting. The
attenuator circuit uses a balanced configuration to optimize the VSWR
performance. This device is representative of a custom design for a
specific application. These advanced techniques and circuit topologies
can be applied to many other applications and specific requirements.
“With the
application of advanced digital techniques and superior microwave
circuit design this MMW attenuator is a very compact and advanced signal
control device” said Gene Joles, Vice President of Microwave Systems
Solutions, Electronics Group
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