Enhancing Uplink Performance for Cell-Free Massive MIMO With Low-Resolution ADCs by RSMA

This paper explores the potential of employing rate-splitting multiple access to enhance the achievable rate and energy efficiency (EE) of an uplink cell-free massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system, where the access points (APs) are configured with low-resolution analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) to minimize the hardware expense and power consumption. Taking the large-scale fading decoding, ADC quantization, and imperfect successive interference cancellation into consideration, a rigorous closed-form rate expression is derived within Ricean fading environments. This analytical framework facilitates an in-depth analysis of the rate performance with respect to various system parameters. To quantify the benefits of low-resolution ADCs, a power consumption model is subsequently incorporated into the analysis, facilitating an evaluation of the system’s EE. Furthermore, the optimization of power control coefficients and receiver weights is tackled through the formulation of weighted sum-rate (WSR) and EE maximization problems. Two efficient alternative algorithms are then proposed to determine their optimal solutions. The theoretical propositions and the efficacy of the proposed WSR and EE optimization algorithms are substantiated through comprehensive simulations.