A high-gain Y-shaped patch array with an 8-port MIMO configuration for pattern diversity in mm-wave applications

Why faster signals need smarter antennas

Streaming ultra‑high‑definition video, running virtual reality, or guiding autonomous cars all depend on wireless signals that move huge amounts of data, instantly and reliably. Fifth‑generation (5G) networks try to meet this demand by using very high‑frequency “millimeter‑wave” bands, especially around 28 GHz. These frequencies offer lots of fresh spectrum but are easily blocked by walls, buildings, and even rain. To make them practical, engineers need compact antennas that can both boost signal strength and direct it all around a device. This paper presents a new antenna design that tackles both challenges at once.

Turning weak waves into strong links

Millimeter‑wave signals behave differently from the radio waves used in earlier mobile networks. They lose strength quickly with distance, do not penetrate obstacles well, and are sensitive to weather and foliage. To keep connections stable, base stations and devices must concentrate energy into tight beams and be able to point those beams where users are. Simple “patch” antennas are cheap and flat but normally have modest gain and narrow operating ranges. Earlier designs tried to improve performance with extra layers, electronic switches, or complex surfaces, but often became bulky, power‑hungry, or hard to scale to very high frequencies.

A Y‑shaped building block for stronger beams

The authors start with a single tiny metal patch printed on a thin Rogers 5880 circuit board, backed by a solid metal ground plane. This basic element is fed from below through a coaxial connector, which reduces unwanted surface waves and improves efficiency. On its own, the patch works well around 28 GHz, delivering a moderate gain of about 7 dBi with a fairly broad, forward‑looking beam and limited radiation behind the board. To push the gain higher without enlarging the footprint, the team rearranges three such patches around a central feed using a Y‑shaped splitter, so that energy is shared and phased among them in a controlled way.

From one beam to a full circle of coverage

This three‑element Y‑shaped array focuses the radio energy into a narrower main beam, boosting the gain to roughly 12–13 dBi while still covering about 800 MHz of bandwidth around 28 GHz. Theory shows that such high gain comes from constructive interference when the three patches radiate in sync; the same effect also makes the design more sensitive to frequency shifts, explaining the modest bandwidth trade‑off. To turn this focused beam into all‑around coverage, the researchers duplicate and mirror the Y‑array to form first a two‑port, then a four‑port, and finally an eight‑port configuration arranged in a cross‑like 3D layout. Each “port” feeds one Y‑array pointing in a different direction, so that their beams together sweep the full 360° around the device.

Eight ears listening in every direction

The finished eight‑port system behaves like a ring of highly directional “ears,” each with strong gain yet very little interference with its neighbors. Simulations and measurements of the fabricated prototype show that the antenna keeps its target 27.6–28.4 GHz band, maintains isolation better than 20 dB between ports (meaning channels stay clean), and delivers a measured gain above 13 dBi for all eight beams. Additional diversity metrics indicate that the radiation patterns of the ports are sufficiently different that multiple data streams can be sent and received at once, increasing reliability and data throughput—key benefits of multi‑input multi‑output (MIMO) technology.

What this means for future 5G devices

To a non‑specialist, the core achievement is that the authors have packed eight high‑gain, carefully separated beams into an antenna smaller than a matchbox, tailored for a key 5G millimeter‑wave band. Instead of relying on moving parts or complex switching networks, the design uses clever geometry—a Y‑shaped splitter and a thoughtful three‑dimensional arrangement—to combine strong, narrow beams with full 360° coverage. This compact, efficient approach could help future base stations, access points, and even advanced user devices maintain fast, reliable links in crowded cities, on factory floors, or in connected vehicles, making the promise of high‑speed 5G at millimeter‑wave frequencies more practical in real‑world settings.

Citation: Abaas, A., Awan, W.A., Choi, D. et al. A high-gain Y-shaped patch array with an 8-port MIMO configuration for pattern diversity in mm-wave applications. Sci Rep 16, 8993 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-35545-y

Keywords: 5G antennas, millimeter-wave, MIMO, beam steering, wireless communication