Target localization using MIMO electromagnetic vector array systems

Recently developed MIMO array systems, which use spatially separated but colocated scalar-antennas in both transmit and receive modes, can fully exploit waveform diversity and spatial diversity to offer significant performance improvement over traditional phased-array based systems. Unlike these structure, in this paper, we present a MIMO array system that is composed of electromagnetic vector antennas (EMVA). Parameterizing the target locations by azimuth-elevation arrival angles and adopting the ESPRIT algorithm, the presented MIMO array system provides closed-form automatically paired azimuth-elevation angle estimation, resolves up to six targets with distinct locations, requires no restrictions on transmit antennas placement, and offers a performance better than the MIMO array system with spatially separated scalar-antennas of comparable receive data size. All these advantages are achieved by additional polarization diversity offered by the EMVA.