A novel multi-band and multi-generation (2G, 3G,4G, and 5G) 9-elements MIMO antenna system for 5G smartphone applications

In this study, a 9-elements hybrid MIMO (multiple input multiple output) antennas system is developed for 5G Smartphone communication.The designed MIMO system is composed of two different antenna parts i.e. the multi-band antenna element, and the eight-elements single-band antenna array. The multi-band antenna element encompasses the GSM 0.9/1.8/1.9 GHz (2G bands), UMTS 2.1 GHz (3G bands), LTE 2.3/2.5 GHz (4G bands), GPS, and WLAN 2.4/5 GHz, while the single-band antenna array covers the C-band (3400–3600 MHz) allocated for 5G cellular communcation. The model of the designed system has been manufactured and the simulation results are validated by conducting experiments with the fabricated prototype. High isolation levels have been observed between the elements. The designed antenna systems showed consistent radiation characteristics with a peak gain value of 5.5 dBi, and efficiency of as high as 90%. Furthermore, good MIMO performance parameters, such as the envelop correlation coefficient (ECC) less than 0.13, and 40 bps/Hz channel capacity have been observed over the desired bandwidth. Owing to the salient performance characteristics, the proposed antenna system could be used in modern mobile communications.