Compact 4G MIMO antenna integrated with a 5G array for current and future mobile handsets

A novel integrated antenna solution for wireless handheld devices is proposed for the existing 4G standards and upcoming 5G systems for broadband, high data rate communications. The complete antenna system is a unique combination of a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna system at microwave frequencies and a millimetre (mm)-wave antenna array. The MIMO antenna system consists of two reactive loaded monopoles while the mm-wave array consists of a planar 2 by four slot antennas. The integrated antenna system covers the frequency bands from 1870 to 2530 MHz for 4G standards along with the upcoming 5G mm-wave band at 28 GHz. In addition, the integrated antenna system is planar and is designed for typical smart phone devices with a standard 60 mm by 100 mm by 0.965 mm back plane. Excellent field correlation values were obtained across the 4G band while realised peak gain values of 4 and 8 dBi were, respectively, measured for the MIMO and mm-wave antenna arrays. The proposed antenna design may also be useful for other compact implementations that support 4G and 5G communications.