A Miniaturized Low-profile Wideband Pattern Diversity Metasurface Antenna for 5G-NR

In this paper, a miniaturized low-profile wideband antenna with pattern diversity is proposed for 5G-NR applications. Microstrip patch antennas are extensively utilized in wireless communications due to their low profile design and integration with RF front-ends. With the development of communication technology, multifunctional patch antennas are becoming more and more popular in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication scenarios. Pattern diversity technology utilizes antennas with different radiation patterns to receive or transmit electromagnetic signals in different directions. Therefore, in complex 5G scenarios, multifunctional patches are attractive in MIMO communications. Traditional methods for pattern diversity place two or more radiating elements with different radiation patterns together. Integrating different radiators increases the antenna size complicating the structural design of the antenna. In addition, the simultaneous use of different radiators reduces the aperture efficiency, which decreases the directivity and gain. In recent years, metasurfaces have been widely used to improve the radiation performance of antennas due to their unique electromagnetic response. In compact MIMO antenna systems with wideband capability, there is a growing need for smaller wideband antennas. The high dielectric constant substrate aids in decreasing the antenna aperture size, yet it is restricted by narrow bandwidth and low radiation efficiency. For metasurface structures, miniaturization is achieved by increasing the edge capacitance by reducing the gap width between metasurface cells. In this paper, we designed a pattern diversity metasurface antenna using characteristic modal analysis. Miniaturization of our designed antenna is achieved by the ring cell element on the surface and metal via. The proposed antenna bandwidth of 4.1 GHz 5.15 GHz. The antenna gain for port 1 excitation is 9.68 dBi and port 1 excitation is 6.38 dBi at∼ 5 GHz.