Using one-dimensional thinned antenna arrays to form a two-dimensional MIMO antenna array

Abstract The issue of synthesizing a two-dimensional thinned virtual aperture multiple input-multiple output (MIMO) antenna array based on one-dimensional thinned linear antenna arrays is considered. The receiving and transmitting elements of the MIMO antenna array are located on two orthogonal lines. They are corresponding to a linear antenna array of appropriate length. These linear antenna arrays are thinned out by a genetic algorithm. To form a thinned virtual aperture of a MIMO antenna array, the location of its receiving and transmitting elements corresponds to the location of the elements of the thinned antenna arrays. It is shown that the directivity multiplier of the thinned virtual aperture of a MIMO antenna array has lower side lobes than the full aperture. The dependence of the level of the maximum side lobe on the thinning coefficient of the virtual aperture of the MIMO antenna array is given.