Examining and Optimizing Compact Antenna Test Ranges for 5GNR OTA Massive MIMO Multi-User Test Applications

Direct far-field testing has become the baseline test methodology for sub-6 GHz over the air (OTA) testing of the physical layer of radio access networks with the far-field multi-probe anechoic chamber (FF-MPAC) being widely utilized for the test and verification of massive multiple input multiple output (Massive MIMO) systems when operating in the presence of more than a single user [1]. The utilization of mm-wave bands within the 5th generation new radio (5GNR) specification [2] has necessitated that since the user equipment should, preferably, be placed in the far-field of the base transceiver station (BTS) antenna, excessively large FF-MPAC test ranges are required [3], [4] or, alternatively the user equipment is paced at range-lengths shorter than that suggested by the classical Rayleigh criteria [5]. However, contrary to this, a recently proposed solution involves the use of a novel compact antenna test range geometry [6]. This paper presents a novel CATR configuration that is especially well suited to the needs of 5G OTA testing and quantitatively verify its success by assessing the measurement of common communication systems performance metrics [7].