Mutual coupling in multi-element array antennas and its influence on MIMO channel capacity

The effects of mutual coupling between receive elements in a multi-element antenna on multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system capacity are reported. The results are based upon analysis of mutual coupling calculated for a measured linear array of five printed dipole elements with 0.56 of a wavelength spacing. It is shown that the presence of mutual coupling at the receive array antenna leads to additional correlation between spatial channels and results in a loss of MIMO system capacity.