Work

Advanced Compact 5G MIMO Base Station for Sub-6 GHz and Millimeter Wave Frequencies: Practical Implementation in Underground Mines

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: A novel compact 5G multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) base station (5G-BS) is introduced for enhancing communications in underground mine environments. The structure includes four identical mm-wave antenna arrays combined with two sub-6 GHz antennas. The four mm-wave antenna arrays are symmetrically arranged around the central axis and positioned 45° apart from one another, while the sub-6 GHz antennas are symmetrically placed in the top corners of the structure. The design is initially evaluated through laboratory measurements, achieving gains of 4.6 dBi in the sub-6 GHz band and 10.5 dBi in the mm-wave band, with an envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) of less than 0.028. Additionally, the effectiveness of the design is validated through experimental measurements including: path loss, time dispersion and coherence bandwidth along with channel capacity evaluation, which have been conducted in real world underground mine using the proposed base station. Thanks to its simplicity and compact design, the array structure is a strong candidate for underground mine communications, capable of covering quad-band 5G frequencies (700 MHz, 3.5 GHz, 28 GHz, and 38 GHz).

Source: IEEE Access

DOI: 10.1109/access.2025.3579968

Authors: Mohamed Lamine Seddiki, Mourad Nedil, Soufiane Tebache, Saif Eddine Hadji

Institutions: Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Université du Québec, Polytechnic School of Algiers

Language: English

Topic: Antenna Design and Analysis

Subfield: Aerospace Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,075