Implementation of a MIMO antenna design for USB dongle applications

A compact monopole slot MIMO antenna integrated on a 2.4 GHz WLAN module for USB dongle applications is presented. In this study, we focus on design and implementation of the MIMO antenna in a four-layered PCB with realistic system ground. To ensure a high isolation between the two closely spaced MIMO antennas on a restricted antenna area, we performed antenna miniaturization to enhance the isolation by introducing a T-shaped cut-off on the top edge of the monopole slot MIMO antenna. Adopting a slot structure for the radiating elements, a high isolation between the antennas was achieved within the specified antenna area. The details of the antenna design are described; the simulation and measurement results are presented and discussed. Moreover, throughput experiment was conducted to validate the proposed MIMO antenna design. Throughputs of 139.45 Mbps on average for receiving and 63.59 Mbps on average for transmitting were obtained for IEEE 802.11n 1T2R standards.