Metamaterial-Inspired Flat Beamsteering Antenna for 5G Base Stations at 3.6 GHz.

João Ricardo Reis,Tiago Emanuel Oliveira,Mário Vala,Telmo Rui Fernandes,Rafael Ferreira Silva Caldeirinha

doi:10.3390/s21238116

Abstract

In this paper, a metamaterial-inspired flat beamsteering antenna for 5G applications is presented. The antenna, designed to operate in the 3.6 GHz at 5G frequency bands, presents an unique flat form factor which allows easy deployment and low visual impact in 5G dense scenarios. The antenna presents a multi-layer structure where a metamaterial inspired transmitarray enables the two-dimensional (2D) beamsteering, and an array of microstrip patch antennas is used as RF source. The use of metamaterials in antenna beamsteering allows the reduction of costly and complex phase-shifter networks by using discrete capacitor diodes to control the transmission phase-shifting and subsequently, the direction of the steering. According to simulations, the proposed antenna presents steering range up to , achievable in both elevation and azimuth planes, independently. To prove the concept, a prototype of the antenna has been built and experimentally characterised inside an anechoic chamber. Although constructed in a different substrate (FR4 substrate) as initially designed, beamsteering ranges up to in azimuth and in elevation, limited to the proposed case-studies, are reported with the prototype, validating the antenna and the usefulness of the proposed design.

Highlights

The 5th generation of mobile network (5G) has been the focus of research in the past few years
Simulations are only presented for an angular sweep in the positive part of the axis, the antenna presents a good symmetry around the Y-axis in both antenna planes, with a maximum achievable angle of ±20◦
This paper presents a flat beamsteering antenna for 5G applications in the 3.6 GHz frequency bands

Summary

Introduction

The 5th generation of mobile network (5G) has been the focus of research in the past few years. The major issue associated with the reduction of covering areas is the consequent increase of cell number (to cover the same area) and the excessive physical deployment of base station (or access point) antennas [3], causing a huge visual impact [4] in dense urban locations. This leads to a high demand for hidden/concealed antennas with enclosures that allow for the reduction of the visual impact of such massive antenna deployment, e.g., antennas embedded in lump poles, fake trees or masked in building facades

Methods

Results

Conclusion