2016 Volume 13 Issue 10 Pages 20160321
In this paper, attenuators with distributed resistor networks for attenuation up to 30 dB from DC to 25 GHz are presented. The distributed thin-film resistor network is embedded in coplanar waveguide (CPW) for microwave application. The sheet resistance and size of distributed thin-film resistor network are accurately calculated by conformal mapping and elliptic function for corresponding attenuation. The achieved attenuators is based on the use of tantalum-nitride (TaN) thin-film resistors with low mean temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR), high resistance silicon substrate and Au CPW. Microwave testing results show excellent performance with return losses better than 27 dB and insertion losses of 10.23 ± 0.12 dB, 15.23 ± 0.18 dB, 20.09 ± 0.23 dB and 29.17 ± 0.55 dB in the interesting frequency range.