Performance analysis of compact antenna arrays with MRC in correlated Nakagami fading channels

This paper presents the average error probability performance of a compact space diversity receiver for the reception of binary coherent and non-coherent modulation signals through a correlated Nakagami fading channel. Analytical expressions of the average BER are derived as a function of the covariance matrix of the multipath component signals at the antenna elements. Closed-form expressions for the spatial cross-correlation are obtained under a Gaussian angular power profile assumption, taking account of the mutual coupling between antenna elements. The effects of antenna array configuration (geometry and electromagnetic coupling) and the operating environment (fading, angular spread, mean angle-of-arrival) on the BER performance are illustrated. Index Terms – Compact antenna array, Bit-error rate, correlated Nakagami fading channels, space diversity, mutual coupling _______________________________________ Jianxia Luo is with Electrical & Computer Engineering Dept., University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0407, Email: [email protected]; James Zeidler is with Electrical & Computer Engineering Dept., University of California, San Diego, and Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Code D8505, San Diego, CA 92152-5001, Email: [email protected]; Stephen McLauglin is with Dept. of Electronics & Electrical Engineering, University of Edinburgh, U. K. EH9 3JL, Email:[email protected]. IEEE Trans. Veh. Tech. Paper submission : 99C241 Revised manuscript