Sub-6 GHz Metallic via Integrated MIMO Antenna Array for 5G Smartphone

A miniaturized and closely packed eight element annular ring multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna array is designed to operate from the 3 to 6 GHz band for 5G smartphone applications. In MIMO, the orthogonally placed antenna pairs maintain high isolation. The proposed decoupling structures placed between two adjacent antenna pairs improve the isolation. The decoupling structure consists of a rectangular metallic strip with metallic vias that reduces the mutual coupling and excites the additional modes to extend the bandwidth from 3 to 6 GHz. The MIMO structure offers isolation of more than 24 dB, ECC of less than 0.1, TARC of less than 7 dB over the complete operation band, DG of 10 dB, and more than 95% efficiency. The specific absorption rates (SARs) of the antenna placed in the human head and hand models are 0.41 W/kg and 0.66 W/kg, respectively. The performance obtained with the fabricated prototype offers excellent matching with that of the simulated ones. © 2023, Electromagnetics Academy. All rights reserved.