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HSMP-3830 becomes relatively The high off resistance and low For further details, read AN␣ 922,
flat about 1␣ GHz. on resistance make the PIN diode “Applications of PIN Diodes.”
0.45 attractive for switching applica-
tions. Power Handling Capability
0.40 The RF power (CW or pulse) that
TOTAL CAPACITANCE (pF)
1 MHz
At RF frequencies, the PIN diode can be handled safely by a diode
0.35
with forward bias behaves switch is limited by two factors —
0.30 essentially as a pure resistor. The the breakdown voltage of the
resistance of the PIN diode is diode, and thermal consider-
0.25 30 MHz related to the bias current, the ations, which involve the maxi-
frequency > 100 MHz geometry of the I-layer and the mum junction temperature and
0.20
properties of the carriers. For a the thermal resistance of the
0.15 given type of PIN diode with diode and packaging. Other
0 4 8 12 16 20
uniform characteristics, resis- factors affecting power handling
REVERSE VOLTAGE (V)
tance is inversely proportional to capability are ambient tempera-
Figure 1. RF Capacitance vs.
the forward bias current. tures, frequency, attenuation level
Reverse Bias at 25°C, HSMP-3810
Series.
Whereas, only high off resistance (which is related to diode resis-
and low on resistance are impor- tance), pulse width and duty
0.35 tant in switching applications, the cycle. (See Application Note 922,
resistance characteristics in the “Applications of PIN Diodes,” for
TOTAL CAPACITANCE (pF)
0.30 1 MHz
entire dynamic range are of details.)
concern in attenuator applica-
tions. Linearity of resistance with Thermal Resistance
0.25 bias makes the PIN diode useful Thermal resistance is normally
100 MHz for attenuator applications. designated by θjc “theta-j-c” or the
0.20 1 GHz
thermal resistance from the
Power Handling junction to the case. It is specified
The calculation of power handling in terms of °C per Watt (°C/W).
0.15
0 4 8 12 16 20 in a PIN diode is complicated and
REVERSE VOLTAGE (V) involves the nature of the RF Using this number θjc and know-
Figure 2. RF Capacitance vs. signal (frequency, CW or pulsed, ing the amount of power being
Reverse Bias at 25°C, HSMP-3830 duty cycle), the resistance of the dissipated as heat in the diode,
Series. PIN diode (a function of bias) and one can calculate the temperature
the package, the ambient tem- rise of the junction with respect
RF Resistance perature, the number and arrange- to the case. Conversely, one can
The PIN diode structure consists ment of PIN diodes in the circuit, reverse the process and use
of an I (Intrinsic) layer of very the amount of reverse bias on the temperature rise and power data
high resistivity material sand- unbiased diodes, and the thermal to compute θjc. This calculation is
wiched between regions of highly resistance of the diode and its based upon the measurements
doped P (positively charged) package. For a switch, with two which we made when we pro-
material and N (negatively extreme states (on and off) there duced our diode data sheet.
charged) material. With reverse or are two diode conditions to
zero bias, the I-layer is depleted of consider: The numbers to use are:
charges and the PIN diode 1 when the PIN diode is forward 1 Tjmax, the maximum junction
exhibits very high resistance. biased, it can be represented operating temperature
When forward bias is applied as a resistor. You control the 2 Pmax, the maximum DC power
across the PIN diode, positive resistance by the amount of dissipation
charge from the P region and forward bias. 3 Ct, the case temperature =
negative charge from the N region 2 when the PIN diode is reverse 25°C
are injected into the I-layer, biased, the limitation is the
therefore increasing its conductiv- sum of reverse (DC) bias plus
ity and lowering its resistance. the peak reverse RF voltage of
the source.
2-3
Items 1 and 2 are found in the This application note presents an Insertion Loss
Maximum Ratings table on the empirically optimized four diode π The loss of signal attributed to
diode’s data sheet. The computa- attenuator covering 300 KHz to the diode when the switch is on
tion is as follows: 3␣ GHz using the HSMP-3814 (transmission state) is insertion
θjc = (Tjmax – Ct) / Pmax diodes. Modeling the signals and loss. For low insertion loss, low
the resulting distortion products resistance is needed in a series
As an example, consider the
is not practical as multiple diodes, switch (Figure 4). Low capaci-
HSMP-3860 PIN diode.
in any configuration, will produce tance (particularly at high fre-
In this case,
a rich spectrum of distortion quencies) is needed in a shunt
Tjmax = 150°C products, all at different values of switch (Figure 5).
Pmax = 250 mW = 0.25 W amplitude and phase angle. These .8
and our calculation yields signals, distortion products, and 50 R
LP RS Rj 1
rectification causes and effects.)
I.L. = 10 LOG
Cj At frequencies above fo, less [1 + (50πfC)2]
2
-000
-001
Figure 3. rectification occurs with increas-
5082
diodes with thick I-layers also linearity and low distortion the
0.01
have long lifetimes, but the minimum signal frequency should 0 0.1 1 10 100
lifetime is an effect, not a cause. be ten times fo, i.e., fmin = 10/2πτ, FREQUENCY (GHz)
2-4
frequencies (Figure 6). Low to decrease. The time required for forward biased PIN diode to decay
resistance is required in a shunt the reverse current to decrease to 1/e of its initial (DC biased)
switch (Figure 7). from 90% to 10% is called the value. Determined by diode
transition time, tt. The sum, td + tt, design, lifetime is an important
80 C (pF)
50 C is the reverse recovery time, characteristic of these diodes in
.01
.1
.03
50
which is a measure of the time it that it affects switching speed as
60
takes to switch the diode from ON well as distortion performance. τ
.3 ISOLATION = to OFF. can range from 10␣ nsec to 2 µsec.
ISOLATION (dB)
1
10 log (1 +
200πfC
)2 The Cutoff Frequency is calcu-
H
40
50 82-
00
50
fc = 1/(2πτ)
5
01 1
40 PIN␣ Diodes
PIN diodes are used principally
30
5082-0001, -0012
for the control of RF and micro-
wave signals. Applications include
20 switching, attenuating, modulat-
ISOLATION = 20 log (1 + 25) HPND-4005 ing, limiting and phase shifting.
R
10 Certain diode requirements are
common to all these control
0 functions, while others are more
0.1 0.3 1 3 10
important in a particular type of
DIODE RESISTANCE – R (Ω)
usage.
Figure 7. Typical Isolation of Shunt Diode Switch.
2-5
Switching Applications attenuator, constant input and circuits by an auxiliary Schottky
The performance of a PIN diode output impedance can be diode) biases the diode to a low
circuit is directly related to the achieved throughout the attenua- resistance state. Most of the input
basic characteristics of the diode. tion range. power is then attenuated, allow-
As an illustrative example, the ing very little to be transmitted.
performance of a PIN diode An additional requirement in most The sensitive equipment that
switch can be simply approxi- attenuator applications is low follows is thus protected.
mated by treating the PIN diode distortion. Distortion can be kept
essentially as a resistor in the to a minimum, if the carrier For a limiter circuit to be effi-
forward biased state and a capaci- lifetime of the PIN diode used is cient, it is essential that the PIN
tor in the reverse biased state. greater than the inverse of the diode has fast switching time.
Switch performance is normally signal frequency. HP recommends Without an auxiliary diode, a PIN
evaluated by the Insertion Loss, the minimum signal frequency be diode with good rectification
Isolation, Switching Speed, and ten times the cutoff frequency, fc, efficiency is needed to achieve
Power Handling Capability i.e., fc␣ =␣ 10/2 πτ or 1.6/τ, where τ is low resistance. Another diode
characteristics. These are summa- the carrier lifetime and f is the requirement is good heat transfer
rized in the “Characteristics of signal frequency. characteristics (low thermal
PIN Diodes” section. resistance).
See Distortion in the “Characteris-
Attenuators tics of PIN Diodes” section. Phase Shifters
Whereas a switch is used only in The high speed switching capa-
its maximum ON or OFF state, an Limiters bilities and low ON and high OFF
attenuator is operated throughout Sensitive amplifiers, mixers, and resistance states of the PIN diode
its dynamic range (or resistance detectors in microwave systems make it also very useful for many
range in the case of a diode can be protected against damage types of high speed, current
attenuator). Although a single by high level signals with the use controlled phase shifter applica-
diode series or shunt switch can of a PIN diode limiter shunting tions. Another important require-
be used as an attenuator, it cannot the transmission line. ment for these applications is the
offer in its entire dynamic range uniformity of diode characteris-
constant input and output imped- A PIN diode limiter is essentially tics such as capacitance and
ance, which is required for an attenuator that uses self bias resistance, particularly in systems
optimum source and load match- rather than externally applied where a large number of elements
ing in most attenuator applica- bias. As the RF input increases, are involved.
tions. By using a multiple diode the rectified current generated by
circuit such as π, T, or bridged-T the PIN diode (in some limiter
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Application Recommendations
Glass
HSMP HSMP HSMP HSMP HSMP HSMP HSMP Axial Beam General
Applications 380x 381x 382x 383x 386x 388x 389x Lead Lead Chip Pkgd Interest
Attenuators • • • • • •
Switching • • • • • • •
AGC Circuits • • • •
Power Limiters •
Phase Shifting • •
Modulating • •
Application Notes Number/Subject
A001 Notes on Choke Network Design •
A004R ESD and ESD Control •
A005 Transistor Chip Use •
A006 Packaged Semi Mounting •
922 Applications • • • • • • • • • • •
929 Fast Switching • • • • •
957-2 Reducing Shunt Insertion Loss • • • • •
957-3 Rectification Effects •
979 Handling/Bonding of Beam Lead Devices •
985 Hi Iso in Series Apps with HPND 4005 •
992 Beam Lead Attachment Methods •
993 Beam Lead Bonding to Soft Substrate •
1048 Low-Cost SMT Pi Attenuator • • • •
1049 Low Distortion Switch • • • •
1050 Low-Cost Power Limiters •
1054 Low-Cost Frequency Multipliers •
1067 SPDT T/R Switch for PCN Applications • • • • •
1072 HSMP 3890 Switching Applications •
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