AAU & wiSpry

Master Thesis long project

(sem9+10)
Tunable antennas for handsets supporting MIMO

Introduction
The ever increasing thirst for data rates lead to the standardization of the 4th Generation (4G) of mobile
communications, featuring Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) technologies. The
specifications of 4G increase the number of antennas, extend the bandwidth and define Carrier Aggregation
(CA) combinations, among others. The bandwidth enhancement includes bands ranging from 698 MHz to 2.690
GHz. In particular low-bands are challenging to address on a handset, given the well-known trade-off between
size, bandwidth and efficiency [1]. The number of bands allocated to 4G keeps increasing, as a result of the
spectrum release that occurred with the transition to digital television (TV). These newly available bands are
referred to as TV White Spaces (TVWS). Channels at low frequencies offer attractive features like high building
penetration and wide range coverage. Frequency-reconfigurability is a promising technique to enable low
frequency operation on small antennas. Tuning can be performed on the antenna feeding line [2], [3] or on the
antenna element [4], [5]. The project chooses to use MEMS tunable capacitors, in light of the low insertion loss,
high voltage handling, and very low power consumption they exhibit [6].

[1] R. F. Harrington, “Effect of Antenna Size on Gain, Bandwidth, and Efficiency,” Journal of Research of the National
Bureau of Standards - Radio Propagation, vol. 64D, no. 1, pp. 1–12, 1960.
[2] E. Erdil, K. Topalli, M. Unlu, O. A. Civi, and T. Akin, “Frequency Tunable Microstrip Patch Antenna Using RF MEMS
Technology,” IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 1193–1196, 2007.
[3] J. Ilvonen, R. Valkonen, J. Holopainen, and V. Viikari, “Multiband Frequency Reconfigurable 4G Handset Antenna with
MIMO Capability,” Progress In Electromagnetics Research,, vol. 148, no. August, pp. 233–243, 2014.
[4] K. R. Boyle and P. G. Steeneken, “A Five-Band Reconfigurable PIFA for Mobile Phones,” IEEE Transactions on Antennas
and Propagation, vol. 55, pp. 3300–3309, Nov. 2007.
[5] J. R. De Luis, A. Morris, Q. Gu, and F. de Flaviis, “Tunable Duplexing Antenna System for Wireless Transceivers,” IEEE
Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, vol. 60, pp. 5484–5487, Nov. 2012.
[6] N. Haider, D. Caratelli, and a. G. Yarovoy, “Recent Developments in Reconfigurable and Multiband Antenna
Technology,” International Journal of Antennas and Propagation, vol. 2013, pp. 1–14, 2013.

Curriculum
Module Wireless Radio Transmission (P), Wireless PHY and MAC
Fundamentals (C), Wireless Communication in Dynamic Settings with
Focus on Radio System (P), Antennas and Propagation (C)

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Samantha Caporal del Barrio, scdb@es.aau.dk
AAU & wiSpry

Knowledge
o Link budget establishment for a communication system
o Modern techniques for wireless radio transmission
o The block level description of a full wireless communication system (including transmitter, channel and
receiver parts) – and the corresponding procedures required for its operation
o Capacity and advanced antenna systems (Channel capacity, Multi antennas systems, Multi carrier
access, Spread spectrum, Resource allocation)
o Channel allocation principles and its application to planning of wireless communication systems
o Antennas (Basic antennas, Requirements for antennas in a scattering radio environment, Multi-
antenna/ correlation analysis, Antenna measurement principles, Near field (antenna design), Finite
Difference Time Domain (FDTD) Method, Method of Moments, Far field (propagation))

Skills
o Design, implement and analyze a solution to a practically occurring communication problem
o Establish a communication system chain
o Make a basic design, test and verification of a wireless communication problem
o Must be able to set up a model and/or simulation of a wireless communication (sub-) system and
identify the crucial parameters
o Identify connection between antenna system and radio channel behavior
o Assess performance of antenna elements and antenna systems
o Select appropriate Electro-magnetic near and far field Simulation methodology for realistic antenna
and propagation settings

Goal of the project

Design tunable antennas supporting MIMO operation on LTE bands for a handset.

Ground clearance studies are part of the design phase (Details provided at the start of the project). The user
effects are also part of the project (retuning with the tuner, absorption loss and effect on isolation), user
simulation are required and user measurements are optional. A board with a wiSpry 1041 tuner will be
provided to perform the measurements.

Specifications
 The antennas need to fit in a given volume (external dimensions of the phone: 70mmx140mmx7mm,
dimensions of the board: 55mmx120mm),
 The frequencies of interest are 700-960MHz, 1710-2170MHz, 2300-2400MHz, 2550-2650MHz,
 MIMO antenna design using cross-polarization location
 Measured return loss, total and radiated efficiencies in Satimo, radiation patterns

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Samantha Caporal del Barrio, scdb@es.aau.dk
AAU & wiSpry

Outcome of the project

Publishable results in a peer-reviewed letter (AWPL) or a journal paper (TAP).

Background
CST, Matlab, Satimo

Recommended literature:
Multiband Integrated Antennas for 4G Terminals by David A. Sánchez-Hernández
Microwave Engineering by David Pozar (Chapter 2, 4 and 5)
Antenna Theory Analysis and Design by Balanis (Chapter 2 and 4)

Supervisors
Samantha Caporal del Barrio and Shuai Zhang

Acknowledgements
The project is supported by AAC Technologies and wiSpry ( www.aactechnologies.com ;
http://www.wispry.com/). In light of that, special terms are applied (NDA, etc.) and will be defined shortly. The
students can have a look at the typical terms for such project at
http://www.kontraktenheden.aau.dk/Til+studerende/Standardaftale+mellem+studerende+og+virksomhed/

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Samantha Caporal del Barrio, scdb@es.aau.dk