Theoretical analysis and performance of OFDM signals in nonlinear AWGN channels

Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) baseband signals may be modeled by complex Gaussian processes with Rayleigh envelope distribution and uniform phase distribution, if the number of carriers is sufficiently large. The output correlation function of instantaneous nonlinear amplifiers and the signal-to-distortion ratio can be derived and expressed in an easy way. As a consequence, the output spectrum and the bit-error rate (BER) performance of OFDM systems in nonlinear additive white Gaussian noise channels are predictable both for uncompensated amplitude modulation/amplitude modulation (AM/AM) and amplitude modulation/pulse modulation (AM/PM) distortions and for ideal predistortion. The aim of this work is to obtain the analytical expressions for the output correlation function of a nonlinear device and for the BER performance. The results in closed-form solutions are derived for AM/AM and AM/PM curves approximated by Bessel series expansion and for the ideal predistortion case.