MIMO Channel Hardening: A Physical Model based Analysis

Abstract: In a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) communication system, the multipath fading is averaged over radio links. This well-known channel hardening phenomenon plays a central role in the design of massive MIMO systems. The aim of this paper is to study channel hardening using a physical channel model in which the influences of propagation rays and antenna array topologies are highlighted. A measure of channel hardening is derived through the coefficient of variation of the channel gain. Our analyses and closed form results based on the used physical model are consistent with those of the literature relying on more abstract Rayleigh fading models, but offer further insights on the relationship with channel characteristics.