Quad-port sixteen-element array based planar MIMO antenna with improved gain and isolation for 5G mm-wave applications

This study introduces a high-gain quad-port sixteen-element array-based multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna designed to support 5G millimeter-wave applications. The single-element antenna consists of a U-shaped strip integrated with an umbrella-shaped radiator and a slit-loaded partial ground plane. To improve gain and bandwidth, the single-element antenna is first transformed into a corporate-fed four-element array. Subsequently, the suggested array configuration is implemented as a quad-port MIMO arrangement. To enhance isolation, the four antenna units are separated by an H-shaped decoupling structure, leading to improved MIMO performance. The proposed array-based MIMO antenna operates over 26.94−31.8 GHz with overall dimensions of 89.04 mm × 47.12 mm (11.37λg × 6.01λg). The antenna system demonstrates a 10−dB fractional bandwidth of 16.5%, peak gain of 13 dBi, and isolation greater than 29 dB. Due to its simple geometry, superior gain, high isolation, and excellent diversity performance, the presented MIMO antenna is well-suited for 5G mm-wave communication systems.