Performance of Large Aperture UCCA Arrays in a 5G User Dense Network

Abstract

The transmitted signals in the fifth generation (5G) wireless networks suffer from significant path loss due to the use of higher frequencies in Sub-6 GHz and millimeter-wave (mmWave) bands. Inter-user interference in an ultra-dense network offers additional challenges to provide a high data rate. Therefore, it is desirable to generate narrow beams to extend the coverage of a 5G network by increasing antenna gain and improve its capacity by reducing the inter-user interference. This fact leads us to address the use of large aperture uniform concentric circular antenna (UCCA) arrays for 5G beamforming in massive multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) technology. Our analysis demonstrates that a UCCA with a larger antenna element spacing is capable of generating a significantly narrower beam with a moderate side-lobe level than a rectangular planar antenna (RPA) array while operating with the same number of antenna elements. This capability of the UCCA is analyzed to discover the performance gain of a 5G network.