A Dual-Band Flexible MIMO Array Antenna for Sub-6 GHz 5G Communications
This paper presents a novel dual-band flexible antenna, uniquely designed and extended to array as well as MIMO configurations for the Sub-6 GHz band. The single-element monopole antenna features a modified rectangular radiator with two L-strips and a reduced ground plane, enabling a compact dual-ba...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/11/3557 |
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| Summary: | This paper presents a novel dual-band flexible antenna, uniquely designed and extended to array as well as MIMO configurations for the Sub-6 GHz band. The single-element monopole antenna features a modified rectangular radiator with two L-strips and a reduced ground plane, enabling a compact dual-band response. The proposed four-element, two-port MIMO configuration is extended from the 1 × 2 array antenna, achieving an overall dimension of 57 × 50 × 0.1 mm<sup>3</sup>, making it exceptionally compact and flexible compared to existing rigid and bulkier designs. Operating in the 3.6–3.8 GHz and 5.65–5.95 GHz bands, the antenna delivers a high gain of 5.2 dBi and 7.7 dBi, outperforming many designs in terms of gain while maintaining the superior isolation of >22 dB utilizing a defected ground structure (DGS). The design satisfies key MIMO diversity metrics (ECC < 0.05, DG > 9.99) and demonstrates low SAR values (0.0702/0.25 W/kg at 3.75 GHz and 0.175/0.507 W/kg at 5.9 GHz), making it highly suitable for wearable and on-body communication, unlike many rigid counterparts. Fabricated on a flexible polyimide substrate, the antenna addresses challenges such as size, bandwidth, isolation, and safety in MIMO antenna design. The performance, validated through fabrication and measurement, establishes the proposed antenna as a superior alternative to existing MIMO designs for compact, high-performance Sub-6 GHz 5G applications. |
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| ISSN: | 1424-8220 |