Temperature compensated digital step attenuator

A temperature-compensated attenuator cell, including:

• (a) at least one series resistance element operatively coupled in an attenuation configuration and having a first-order resistance temperature coefficient of a first type;
• and
• (b) at least one shunt resistance element coupled to a corresponding shunt switch and operatively coupled to the at least one series resistance element in an attenuation configuration, at least a first one of the at least one shunt resistance element having a first-order resistance temperature coefficient of a second type complementary to the first-order resistance temperature coefficient of the first type;
• wherein the at least one series resistance element and the at least one shunt resistance element are configured such that a difference in attenuation between an attenuation state and a reference state of the temperature-compensated attenuator cell remains approximately constant as temperature varies.

A temperature-compensated attenuator cell, including:

• (a) at least one series resistance element operatively coupled in an attenuation configuration and having a first-order resistance temperature coefficient of a first type;
• and
• (b) at least one shunt resistance element coupled to a corresponding shunt switch and operatively coupled to the at least one series resistance element in an attenuation configuration, at least a first one of the at least one shunt resistance element having a first-order resistance temperature coefficient of a second type complementary to the first-order resistance temperature coefficient of the first type, and at least a second one of the at least one shunt resistance element having a first-order resistance temperature coefficient of the first type;
• wherein the at least one series resistance element and the at least one shunt resistance element are configured such that a difference in attenuation between an attenuation state and a reference state of the temperature-compensated attenuator cell remains approximately constant as temperature varies.

A temperature-compensated digital step attenuator including at least two sequentially-coupled temperature-compensated attenuator cells, each cell including:

• (a) at least one series resistance element operatively coupled in an attenuation configuration and having a first-order resistance temperature coefficient of a first type;
• and
• (b) at least one shunt resistance element coupled to a corresponding shunt switch and operatively coupled to the at least one series resistance element in an attenuation configuration, at least a first one of the at least one shunt resistance element having a first-order resistance temperature coefficient of a second type complementary to the first-order resistance temperature coefficient of the first type;
• wherein the at least one series resistance element and the at least one shunt resistance element for each cell are configured such that a difference in attenuation between an attenuation state and a reference state of such temperature-compensated attenuator cell remains approximately constant as temperature varies.

A temperature-compensated digital step attenuator including at least two sequentially-coupled temperature-compensated attenuator cells, each cell including:

• (a) at least one series resistance element operatively coupled in an attenuation configuration and having a first-order resistance temperature coefficient of a first type;
• and
• (b) at least one shunt resistance element coupled to a corresponding shunt switch and operatively coupled to the at least one series resistance element in an attenuation configuration, at least a first one of the at least one shunt resistance element having a first-order resistance temperature coefficient of a second type complementary to the first-order resistance temperature coefficient of the first type, and at least a second one of the at least one shunt resistance element having a first-order resistance temperature coefficient of the first type;
• wherein the at least one series resistance element and the at least one shunt resistance element for each cell are configured such that a difference in attenuation between an attenuation state and a reference state of such temperature-compensated attenuator cell remains approximately constant as temperature varies.

A temperature-compensated digital step attenuator including at least two sequentially-coupled temperature-compensated attenuator cells, each cell including at least one of:

• (a) at least one series resistance element operatively coupled in an attenuation configuration and having a first-order resistance temperature coefficient of a first type;
• a series bypass switch coupled in parallel across at least one of the at least one series resistance element, for selectively bypassing the at least one series resistance element;
• and at least one shunt resistance element coupled to a corresponding shunt switch and operatively coupled to the at least one series resistance element in an attenuation configuration, wherein at least a first one of the at least one shunt resistance element has a first-order resistance temperature coefficient of a second type complementary to the first-order resistance temperature coefficient of the first type;
• or
• (b) a shunt switch, and at least one shunt resistance element operatively coupled to the shunt switch in an attenuation configuration, wherein at least a first one of the at least one shunt resistance element has a first-order resistance temperature coefficient of the second type;
• wherein the at least one series resistance element and the at least one shunt resistance element are configured such that a difference in attenuation between an attenuation state and a reference state of at least one of the at least two temperature-compensated attenuator cells remains approximately constant as temperature varies.