A side-edge frame dual-band eight-element MIMO antenna array for 5G handset

In this paper, a dual-band 8 x 8 multi-input multi-output (MIMO) array antenna operating in 3.5 GHz band (3400-3600 MHz) and 5.5 GHz band (5150-5925 MHz) for 5G mobile handset is presented. The proposed hybrid antenna includes a comb-shaped monopole and an L-shaped open slot antenna which are symmetrically located on the inner surface of the side-edge frame of smartphone. Pattern diversity is achieved that can mitigate envelope correlation coefficients (ECCs) and improve the MIMO system performances. The prototype of proposed dual-band eight-element MIMO antenna is fabricated and experimentally measured. The results show that isolation <-10 and <-15 dB, respectively in the lower band and high band without any additional decoupling element are achieved and the desired bands are satisfied under the condition of -6 dB impedance matching. Moreover, the essential parameters for evaluation of the MIMO system performance such as the ECC, mean effective gain (MEG), and ergodic channel capacity are calculated. Furthermore, the influence of user's hand on the radiation characteristics of proposed MIMO antenna are also investigated and discussed. Based on the result, the proposed MIMO antenna is a good candidate for use in future 5G applications.