Impact of Patch Array Antenna Size and Beampattern on Wireless Network Capacity

Rectangular patch antennas are important components in modern wireless communication systems, including 5 G and emerging 6 G technologies. These antennas support highfrequency, high-capacity, and energy-efficient wireless communication. For beamforming, the dimensions of these antennas significantly influence their radiation patterns, and antenna gain. Beamforming technology is essential for 5G and 6G networks, enhancing coverage, capacity, and energy efficiency. Effective beamforming relies on array configurations of rectangular patch antennas, with precise control over antenna patterns to improve signal quality and minimize interference. This article explores the impact of the size of rectangular patch array antenna in the mmWave frequency band. The primary goal is to maximize channel capacity between transmitters and receivers. Our study involves simulations using discretized antenna patterns for various patch array antenna sizes, based on realistic room models and a ray-tracing approach. The results demonstrate that larger antenna arrays can significantly increase network capacity. However, selecting the optimal steering vectors for all antennas becomes more complex with increasing antenna size, but is essential for achieving the best configuration.