A company called SkyCross has come up with a novel approach to acheive antenna diversity within a small physical area. SkyCross’s Isolated Mode Antenna Technology (IMAT) uses a single antenna with multiple feeds to acheive diversity. One area where antenna diversity is required is Mulitple Input Mulitple Output (MIMO) systems such as high throughput wireless devices. Before SkyCross annouced their IMAT technology, companies that develop MIMO antenna front-ends for portable electronics have been trying to fit 2 antennas into a small of a space as possible. However, by trying to place two antennas close to each other, undesired mutual coupling will occur and antenna efficiency will also suffer with the reduced antenna size.

SkyCross’s IMAT approach to acheive diversity uses just a SINGLE antenna. By feeding the antenna at two different locations, two different modes are excited, which are independent of each other. Each mode produces a separate, different radiation pattern thus acheiving diversity with high efficiency. This is such a simple solution, but one that will revolutionize