Tunable Eight-Element MIMO Antenna Based on the Antenna Cluster Concept

TL;DR

This paper introduces a tunable eight-element MIMO antenna operating from 1.7 to 6 GHz, utilizing a novel antenna cluster concept to enhance spectral efficiency for future wireless systems.

Contribution

It extends the antenna cluster theory to multiple clusters for MIMO, enabling frequency tuning and improved capacity in the sub-6-GHz band.

Findings

Achieves over 60% efficiency above 3 GHz

Exceeds ergodic capacity of ideal 7x7 MIMO in the targeted band

Supports frequency tuning from 1.7 to 6 GHz

Abstract

Realizing capacity demands of future wireless communications requires improved spectral efficiency in the sub-6-GHz frequency bands. This paper proposes a novel eight-element multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna that can be tuned from 1.7 to 6 GHz. The design is based on the antenna cluster concept, where weighted feeding of multiple antenna elements is used to modify the operating frequency. This paper extends the theory of the concept to account for multiple separate clusters, thus enabling it to be used for MIMO. The proposed antenna achieves over 60% efficiency at frequencies above 3 GHz, and the system exceeds the ergodic capacity of the ideal 7x7 MIMO in that band.