An Integrated 4G/5G Microwave MIMO with Millimeter Wave Antenna System with Enhanced Isolation

The fifth generation (5G) of wireless communications will require a significant increase in data rates. An increase of almost 1000 times the rates of its predecessor generation is targeted by the year 2020. This huge increase in data throughput is only possible with the use of much larger bandwidths than those provided nowadays by wireless operators and regulatory agencies. Millimetre-wave bands have been proposed as a viable candidate to provide the required large bandwidths required to achieve the 5G target rates. Multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) technology will still be used for the microwave wireless standards as it is the key driving factor in achieving high data rates in the limited power and bandwidth bands. In this work, we will investigate and come up with an integrated 4G/5G antenna system design that supports a multi-band MIMO antenna system operating at 4G bands (1.8 GHz and 2.45 GHz) consisting of at least 2-antenna elements that are of printed nature (meandered inverted-F antennas) for ease of fabrication, along with a millimetre-wave (mm-wave) antenna array operating at 28 GHz for 5G standard coverage. The mm-wave antenna array will be based on slot antenna elements in a planar array geometry with an operating bandwidth of at least 1GHz. The complete system will be modelled and simulated using a commercial SW package (HFSS). The feed network for the mm-wave planar array will be investigated as well, and integrated with the array for best matching and loss. The mm-wave array is to be placed between the MIMO antenna elements to act as an isolation enhancement method in a novel way of integration. The antenna system will be fabricated on a commercial substrate, and tested and characterized in the laboratory for gain, efficiency and other MIMO parameters. The fabricated design will be characterized in the laboratory environment at KFUPM and measurements of radiation patterns will be outsourced outside of the kingdom.