Dual-Band Phased Array 5G Mobile-Phone Antenna with Switchable and Hemispherical Beam Pattern Coverage for MIMO-Diversity Communications

Abstract

A new design of dual-band antenna array with 3D-coverage beam steering characteristic for millimeter-wave (MM-Wave) communications is proposed in this manuscript. The antenna covers frequency bands of 18 GHz and 28 GHz. Its configuration contains three subarrays of patch radiators along the edge area of the smart phone printed circuit board (PCB). Each sub-array contains eight elements of dual-band patch antennas with C-shaped slots. The resonant frequencies of the single element radiator can be adjusted by tuning the sizes of the embedded C-shaped slot and the main patch radiator. The beam-steerable antenna is designed on an N9000 PTFE dielectric. In order to achieve high gain beams and also for covering wider beam-steering area, each sub-array is deployed in different top-sides of the PCB with a dimension of 55××110 mm22. Using three uniform linear eight element sub-arrays, hemispherical beam pattern coverages can be achieved. The proposed antenna provides good performances in terms of gain, radiation and total efficiencies, and beam steering properties which make it suitable for use in the fifthgeneration (5G) mobile-phone platforms.