Performance evaluation of a multicarrier modulation technique allowing strongly nonlinear amplification

OFDM techniques, known to be well-suited for high rate transmission in time-dispersive channels, are currently being considered for broadband wireless LAN systems. However, the strong envelope fluctuation of conventional OFDM signals is hardly compatible with an efficient, somewhat nonlinear, power amplification. A new multicarrier modulation technique, called CEPB-OFDM (constant envelope paired burst OFDM), was proposed to allow high transmit power efficiencies. This paper is concerned with the performance evaluation of CEPB-OFDM and includes a performance comparison, when a grossly nonlinear power amplifier is employed, with other previously proposed OFDM techniques which are able to reduce the envelope fluctuation. The performance results clearly indicate that the CEPB-OFDM technique is recommendable for the above-mentioned wireless systems.