Electronically Steered MIMO Patch Antenna with Conformal Feeding for 5G Applications

Multiple input multiple output antenna is the key technology which enables the design of 5G networks. In order to achieve desired beam forming and side lobe reduction capabilities, antennas used in MIMO technology are required to feed with signals having different phase and amplitude. It is possible to achieve variable phase shift and variable attenuation using phase shifter and amplitude limiters. However when these devices are used between source and antenna, they makes the system non planner and non-conformal. This research presents a 16 element, multiple user MIMO Patch antenna with conformal and planner power divider network to achieve electronically steered beam along with the desired side lobe level reduction. Wilkinson power divider is used to achieve conformal and planner power divider for MIMO antenna. Desired beam forming capabilities are achieved by controlling the phase of input signal to antennas by controlling the length of microstrip line and desired side lobe reduction capabilities are achieved by controlling the amplitude of input signal to antenna by controlling the width of microstrip line used in Wilkinson power divider. This provides an overall planner and conformal structure. In this research same antenna is used to generate two major beams by controlling the phase and amplitude of input signal. The designed structure is simulated and analyzed using HFSS. Simulated results for the designed MIMO antenna are verified by analyzing the fabricating structure using vector network analyzer and horn antenna. The novelty in this research is to design power divider, phase shifter and amplitude limiter in single unit.