A Metasurface-Based MIMO Antenna for 5G Millimeter-Wave Applications

This work presents a 4-element multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna with a single layered metasurface array for fifth generation (5G) millimeter-Wave (mm-Wave) communication systems. Each MIMO antenna element is composed of a 1×2 array with a corporate feed network. Moreover, a metasurface array structure consisting of 9×6 Circular Split Ring (CSR) shaped cells is employed to improve the gain and isolation between the MIMO antenna elements. The proposed antenna system is realized using 0.787 mm thick Rogers RT Duroid 5880 substrate. The performance of the antenna is investigated in terms of s-parameters, radiation characteristics, and MIMO parameters. The antenna operates at the mm-Wave frequency band ranging from 24.55 to 26.5 GHz. The incorporation of the metasurface layer enhanced the gain thus attaining a peak measured gain of 10.27 dBi. Additionally, isolation is also improved by 5dB after the employment of metasurface. The investigation of MIMO performance metrics such as Envelope Correlation Coefficient (ECC), Diversity Gain (DG), Channel Capacity Loss (CCL), and Mean Effective Gain (MEG) exhibits good antenna characteristics. The demonstrated radiation properties of the proposed antenna ascertain its suitability for the forthcoming 5G communication systems.