Diversity mechanisms of a compact dielectric resonator antenna array for high MIMO throughput performance

The multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) throughput of a given wireless system is a better indication of end user experience, as compared to conventional MIMO performance metrics such as capacity and diversity gains. This paper demonstrates throughput performance of a six-port dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) array for Wireless-LAN (WLAN) applications in a measured indoor office environment when a six-port dual-polarized patch array is used at the transmit end. The throughput was obtained using an IEEE 802.11n/Draft 5 simulator for measured channels with different antenna and propagation setups. The throughput performance of the patch-DRA array set-up is found to be similar to that of a set-up with six-port monopole arrays at the transmit and receive ends in the non-line-of sight (NLOS) environment. Even though the compact design of the DRA array causes lower port efficiencies relative to those of the reference monopole array, the compact DRA array can effectively utilize angle, polarization and spatial diversity mechanisms to achieve comparable throughput performance.