Pattern Diversity Based Four-Element Dual-band MIMO Patch Antenna for 5G mmWave Communication Networks

This study presents a planar dual-band multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna design for the prospective fifth-generation (5G) frequency bands of 28 and 38 GHz. The antenna element is designed by utilizing a rectangular patch with an offset microstrip feeding technique. A dual-band response is achieved by placing semi-circular slots on each side of the patch element. To tune the frequency response and improve impedance matching, vertical rectangular slits are etched in the rectangular patch and the ground plane, respectively. The results show that the single antenna element offers an impedance bandwidth of 2.52 GHz (26.32–28.84 GHz) and 7.5 GHz (34–41.5 GHz). In addition, a MIMO configuration based on pattern diversity using four antenna elements is designed and fabricated. The designed MIMO configuration achieves an impedance bandwidth of 3 GHz (27–30 GHz) and 5.46 GHz (35.54–41 GHz) at operating bands of 28 and 38 GHz. The peak realized gain for the single element at 28 and 38 GHz is noted to be 7.4 dBi and 7.5 dBi, respectively. Furthermore, the polarization diversity configuration illustrates an isolation of > 15 dB and > 25 dB for the 28 and 38 GHz frequency bands, respectively. Moreover, the MIMO configuration attains appropriate values for the envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) and diversity gain (DG), Total Active Reflection Co-efficient (TARC), Channel Capacity Loss (CCL) and Mean Effective Gain (MEG) for the operating frequency bands. The proposed MIMO system based on results seems to be potential choice for mmwave Ka Band Applications.