Enhancing antenna array isolation using passive radiators

Introduction. Improving antenna isolation is crucial for ensuring intra-facility electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), especially in environments with densely packed antennas. Despite extensive research in this area, the quest for effective isolation enhancement methods remains ongoing. This study explores an approach that utilizes passive radiators to mitigate antenna coupling. The aim of the work is to develop techniques for improving isolation, thereby addressing EMC challenges in compact radio-electronic systems. The evaluation of isolation coefficients was conducted in two stages. First, a preliminary analysis and optimization were performed using a matrix model of the antenna array. In the second stage, numerical methods were applied using existing electromagnetic simulation software to refine the results. Results. The findings demonstrate that optimizing the positions and parameters of passive radiators can enhance isolation across various antenna systems by 8 to 50 dB. Additionally, the study reveals that isolation improvements of 20–25 dB can be achieved over significantly wider frequency bands. Expanding the frequency range with high isolation is also possible by increasing the number of compensating passive elements.