The effect of horizontal array orientation on MIMO channel capacity

In multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems the horizontal orientation of a linear array has, in some situations a large influence on the available channel capacity. In this paper, we investigate the effect of horizontal array orientation on channel capacity, eigenvalue distribution and antenna complex correlation coefficient in such systems. We present channel measurements in an office corridor environment for a 6×6 MIMO system and compare the capacity results to those of a physical and non-physical model based on the measurements. The results show that under LOS conditions the channel capacity can vary significantly depending on the receiver array orientation in the horizontal plane.