Effect of Antenna Polarization Arrangement on MIMO Channel Capacity

This study investigates the effect of antenna polarization configurations on the channel capacity of Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems. Theoretical modeling and computational simulations are conducted to examine the impact. The theoretical model is predicated on a MIMO arrangement with a half-wavelength Dipole antenna as the MIMO element. The influence of antenna polarization on MIMO capacity is expressed via mutual impedance as a function of antenna polarization. Theoretical and simulation results indicate that antenna polarization influences the capacity of MIMO channels. Cross-polarized antenna arrays provide enhanced polarization by optimizing polarization diversity. Research on large-scale MIMO systems suggests that the selection of antenna polarization significantly influences MIMO channel capacity. The polarization configuration substantially influences MIMO capacity under high SNR scenarios. An appropriate polarization configuration enhances MIMO channel capacity at low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) more efficiently than inappropriate polarization. This may be advantageous in mitigating capacity degradation resulting from low SNR levels. Furthermore, the research findings indicate that the antenna polarization configuration is essential in designing massive MIMO antennas comprising several antennas. In creating a massive MIMO antenna, achieving the ideal polarization configuration of the antenna elements is critical to ensure that increases in the number of antennas correlate with the optimum channel capacity. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2025-09-02-028 Full Text: PDF