Modular and Scalable Millimeter-Wave Patch Array Antenna for 5G MIMO and Beamforming

Phased array antenna for 5G MIMO and beamforming using modular radiation element is proposed in this paper, which can be readily scaled up for massive MIMO applications. The rectangular probe-fed microstrip antenna is utilized as the radiation element in the array. The radiation pattern of phased array antenna remains intact after combination of beamforming have demonstrated scanning range over +/- 60 degrees in simulation. Two millimeter-wave phased array antennas with operating frequency of 28 GHz have been assembled and array elements tested to verify their performance. The proposed phased array structure demonstrates the flexibility of the array configuration, advantages of scalability, ease of assembly, and element failure correction, compared with conventional designs.