DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF MULTIPLE-IN, MULTIPLE-OUT ANTENNA FOR S-BAND SATELLITE APPLICATIONS

Abstract

The popularity of multiple-in, multiple-out (MIMO) technology in wireless communication systems has increased due to its ability to enhance system capacity, coverage, and reliability, leading to a rising interest in designing and implementing MIMO antennas for various frequency bands, such as the S-band. However, mutual coupling between multiple antennas can pose a significant challenge in the performance analysis of MIMO systems. In this study, we introduce a novel approach involving the utilization of an L-shaped slot in a patch element placed on an economical FR4 epoxy material with a relative permittivity of 4.4 and a loss tangent of 0.02. Multiple antennas are strategically positioned in an orthogonal arrangement to minimize coupling effects. Our proposed antenna design successfully achieves an impedance bandwidth that aligns with the -10 dB reference over a frequency range from 2.78 GHz to 2.66 GHz, making it suitable for S-band satellite applications. Furthermore, by employing a four-element MIMO antenna setup, we achieve excellent isolation characteristics, with values below -20 dB. To ensure excellent MIMO performance, we consider some diversity parameters such as envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) and diversity gain (DG), which we investigate and find to be within standard limits (ECC < 0.04, DG = 10 dB). Our study offers valuable insights into designing and optimizing MIMO antennas for S-band satellite applications and can serve as a useful reference for future research in this area.