Asymptotic multiuser efficiencies for decision-directed multiuser detectors

The asymptotic multiuser efficiencies (AMEs) are derived for various classes of decision-directed multiuser detectors, including multistage detectors, and decision-feedback detectors. Novel classes of soft-decision multistage detectors are proposed and analyzed. Each class is specified in part by a soft-decision nonlinearity, such as a symmetric quantizer or a linear clipper. Closed-form expressions for two-user AMEs are derived for soft-decision two-stage detectors and can be used as a design criterion to optimize the soft-decision nonlinearities. For a special case of two synchronous users, the soft-decision two-stage detector using an optimized linear clipper with either conventional or decorrelated tentative decisions is shown to achieve optimum AME. Upper and lower bounds on the AME are obtained for decision-feedback detectors using either conventional or decorrelated tentative decisions. It is demonstrated that decision-directed multiuser detectors with conventional tentative decisions have low near-far resistance compared to those with decorrelated tentative decisions.