A novel dual-band elliptical ring slot MIMO antenna with orthogonal circular polarization for 5G applications

This paper presents a dual-band 4-element multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna featuring orthogonal circular polarization (CP) for Sub-6 GHz 5G applications. The single antenna combines a non-uniform width elliptical ring slot and a feed network, utilizing two L-shaped secondary feed lines to generate CP within the targeted frequency bands (3.55-3.80 GHz and 4.60-4.80 GHz). Using the single antenna as a unit antenna, a 4-element MIMO configuration is devised, employing a mirror technique for element placement to achieve orthogonal CP. This placement method effectively enhances coverage area and enlarges the 3-dB axial ratio bandwidth in the lower band (3.40-3.80 GHz). The common ground connections among elements are established via four strip lines. The antenna shows a good diversity performance considering the envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) result of less than 0.04 and isolation greater than 15 dB. The simulated gains of the MIMO antenna are 4 and 5 dBic in the respective bands. The single and MIMO antennas are fabricated, and the antennas' performances are evaluated. A good agreement is observed between the measured and simulated results. The dual CP and diversity performances of the MIMO antenna make it more efficient for 5G wireless applications.