OFDM vs. single-carrier: a multi-antenna comparison

In this paper, we compare high-performance OFDM and single-carrier with frequency-domain equalization (SC-FD) schemes using multiple-antennas and decision-feedback equalization (DFE), while also accounting for the power amplifier efficiency. To make a realistic comparison, we also consider most important digital imperfections such as channel and noise estimation, transmit and receive filtering, clipping and quantization as well as link layer impact. Our analysis shows that for frequency-selective channels, the relative performance impact of the power amplifier is negligible compared to the frequency diversity impact. The higher frequency diversity exploitation of SC-FD allows it to transmit more efficiently than OFDM in most cases. Therefore, SC-FD is a suitable candidate for broadband wireless communication, especially for battery-powered up-link transmission.