Coding for the MIMO multi-hop amplify-and-forward fading channel

In this paper, we study coding techniques for the multiple-input multiple-output multi-hop amplify-and-forward (MIMO-MH-AF) block-fading channel. We first derive conditions on coding rates and space-time precoders that allow a coded modulation to achieve the diversity order provided by the channel. We then derive a bound on the diversity order of a coded modulation so as to attain maximum diversity through parallel partitioning of the channel. Finally, word error rate performances are compared to outage probabilities.