Solid State PIN Control Products

PIN diodes are fundamentally similar to standard diodes, but have an RF impedance that is determined by an externally supplied bias current. Their versatility makes them excellent building blocks in a wide variety of configurations within each product category, which allows diverse system requirements to be served. In short, the PIN diode enables all systems – from the least complex to the most sophisticated – to achieve their intended missions, while requiring very little space, power or cost. There are many resources that provide both practical and theoretical information about PIN diode theory, characteristics and incorporation in modules and subsystem designs. However, practical information about choosing the proper PIN-diode-based product for a specific application is conspicuously absent. “RF and Microwave PIN Control Product Application and Selection” has been created to fill this void. It includes basic discussions of PIN diode characteristics, the most commonly used PIN-diode-based products, and the trade-offs encountered in designing products around them. The merits of various types of control products within a specific category (analog and digital attenuators, for example) are discussed as well.