Attenuator

An arrangement of fixed or variable resistive elements designed to reduce the strength of any signal (audio- or radio-frequency) without reducing appreciable distortion. Attenuators also incorporate impedance matching to the transmission lines or circuits to which they are connected, regardless of the attenuation they introduce. For lower frequency applications they may be simply variable or fixed resistances, for high frequencies they may be pieces of resistive material, introduced into transmission lines, stripline, or waveguide. Fixed attenuators are sometimes referred to as pad.