Advanced Wireless Technologies

by ROHDE&SCHWARZ

Simulation of 5G /
MIMO Antennas Design
Zeev Iluz

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Agenda
1. 5G Motivation and Challenges
2. Antenna Array Simulation, MIMO post-processing
3. Mobile Device Antenna Array Example
4. Huawei MIMO Base Station Demonstrator

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5G Motivation and Challenges

Consumer device bandwidth requirements increasing at
rapid rates
Historical (4, 3G) bands below 3 GHz increasingly
crowded
Push for 28+ GHz frequency for 5G
subject to relatively high atmospheric attenuation
- smaller wavelength more susceptible to multipath loss

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5G Motivation and Challenges

Efficiency is critical, Gain of 12 dBi for mobile device and 25 dBi targeted
Gain cannot come at the expense of coverage beam steered arrays ideal solution
Diversity Gain can also be leveraged - MIMO
High frequency and array topology pose simulation challenges (memory, system
complexity)

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Antenna Arrays Categories

Large Arrays

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Small Arrays

Small Arrays
All elements need to be simulated.

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Array Postprocessing
Use Combine Results and Correlation Coefficient result
templates to achieve a desired beam shape.
Purely postprocessing, no further 3D simulations
needed!
How can I achieve
a pattern like this?

All amplitudes = 1
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Amplitudes = ????

Array Postprocessing
Template Based
Postprocessing as a
Simulation type

Initial beam shape

Parameters for
amplitude weights
Desired beam shape

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Achieved beam shape

Large Arrays
Can be approximated as an
infinite array which
requires the simulation of
only a single element.
To include edge effects
and other physical
realities, the entire array
needs to be modeled.
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CST ARRAY WIZARD

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CST Array Wizard Sim Proj

Spacing X, Y = 100

Angle 60

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Drag&Drop your Unit Array Element

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Set Elements Active/Passive/Empty

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Finite Array Sim. Proj.

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MIMO Antennas

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Communication Networks
Communication antennas need to cope with a complex environment
All base-station antennas are
placed near the horizontal plane
Mean Effective Gain (MEG)

Tilted reflecting planes change

signal polarization
Cross Polarization Rate (XPR)

MIMO Antenna Systems for Advanced Communication

Webinar

https://www.cst.com/Applications/Article/MIMO-Antenna-Advanced-Communication

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Multi-path signal transmission

may lead to destructive signal
overlay, resulting in local deep
dips (called Rayleigh-Fading)
Diversity/MIMO

Diversity / MIMO Antennas

Simple Maximal Signal Diversity Gain

Multi-path signal transmission may

lead to destructive signal overlay
resulting in local deep dips
(called Rayleigh-Fading)
Antenna 1

Multiple antennas (antenna diversity)

may overcome this problem

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Antenna 2
best of (diversity gain)

Diversity / MIMO Antennas

Select from:

Diversity Gain
Envelope Correlation Coefficient
Multiplexing Efficiency
Mean Effective Gain

Load farfield of second antenna

Envelope Correlation from Farfield:

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Envelope Corr. from S-Parameters:

Mobile Antenna Array

Element -> Array Design
Device level performance
System level performance

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Antenna Magus

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Mobile Antenna Element Design

Magus Antenna Synthesis generates initial square

patch design for 28 GHz operating frequency

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Mobile Antenna Element Performance

Magus also provides
performance estimation for
initial design qualification
Initial design is clearly
approximate Microwave
Studio can be used to optimize
and modify

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Results

Retuned for 28 GHz, at the expense of

impedance match quality
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Finite Array Generation

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Finite Array Performance

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Best Achievable Pattern

Envelope

Theta = 0 deg
Phi = 0 deg

Theta = 15 deg
Phi = 30 deg

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Achievable Array
Patterns

Theta=45
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Theta=10

Theta=85

Installed Performance

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System Assembly Modelling

System Assembly Modelling provides

convenient layout assembly to bring in
phone + other antenna models
Several copies of array independently
placed and parameterizable
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Layout Modelling
After wiring system, switch to layout view
and align antenna arrays

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Layout Modelling

Lower hemispherical array needs

to be flipped to aim downward
Rotate on axis for diversity

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Simulation Task

In this case, all models will

be solved together in 3D by
MWS T solver
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Simulation Performance

3.5 Minutes simulation time per excitation on dual CPU workstation with nVIDIA
Kepler 20 GPU (10% GPU capacity)
3.48 GB of system Memory utilized for initial Matrix Calculation
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Installed Performance - Coupling

Both arrays operating (boresight), pattern intact

In band coupling to WIFI antenna, GPS coupling at 5G
operating freq
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Installed Performance - Coupling

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Installed Performance - Envelope

Relatively, low coupling to GPS at 28 GHz, but radiation angles towards GPS antenna
are affected
Best Achievable Pattern envelope clearly shows performance degraded
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Cosite Interference / RF Interference

Performance degradation when multiple RF systems
are co-located in a common environment.

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Mobile Phone Receiver Sensitivity

WiFi Antenna

GPS Antenna

Clock

Tri-Band Cellular
Antenna

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Coupling Matrix
Cellular-WiFi Coupling

Cellular-GPS Coupling
WiFi-GPS Coupling

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Transmitter / Receiver Definition

Transmitter
Defined by:
Excitation spectrum (signal)
Filter
Amplifier
Library

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Receiver
Defined by:
Sensitivity spectrum
Filter
Amplifier
Library

CST DS Interference Task

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Violation Matrix

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Effects of Hand Model

Top hemisphere array is largely unaffected
Bottom array highly dependent on finger proximity

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MIMO Base Station Array Example

[1] Konstantinos Prionidis, MIMO Configurable Array for Sector / Omni-Directional Coverage, Department of Signals
& Systems, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden 2014

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Huawei MIMO Base Station Example

-Novel antenna array concept study for small cell sizes
(higher capacity and efficiency), 25% bandwidth at 2GHz
-MIMO Diversity gain central to improved efficiency
-2 logical ports; Polarization diversity utilized (Eh and
Ev received)
-12 physical ports (spatial diversity)
-Unique 360azimuth plane beam forming capabilities
-Elevation up and down tilt beam steering capabillities
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Horizontal Element
Horizontal (top)
Vertical (bottom)

4 printed arc-dipoles, centrally fed

Printed stack up and parasitic tuning elements used to obtain
good compromise between size and bandwidth (~27%)
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Vertical Element

Vertical (top)
Horizontal (bottom)
Small ground monopole
Planar width increases bandwidth
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Obtained Return Loss

Broadband impedance matching obtained, while maintaining compact antenna

configuration
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Array Design and Considerations

Both horizontal and vertical elements can produce one vertical polarized
omni-directional OR one vertical polarized sector radiation pattern
Spacing between horizontal elements a challenge, grating lobes for array
Top and bottom ground plates introduce phased reflections to mitigate; acts as
a small ground for vertical monopole elements
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Summary
5G Antenna Device design will require high efficiency devices at
frequencies approaching mm wave
CST Array Simulation Workflows provide smooth design process for
large and small finite arrays
Antenna Magus provides Antenna and Array synthesis for rapid
design exploration
System level simulation increasingly important for antenna
performance
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Advanced
Wireless
COMCAS
2015Technologies
by ROHDE&SCHWARZ

Thank you

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