Impact of Phase Noise and Power Amplifier Non-Linearities on Downlink Cell-Free Massive MIMO-OFDM Systems

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Hauptverfasser: Demir, Özlem Tuğfe, Björnson, Emil
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2025
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author Demir, Özlem Tuğfe
Björnson, Emil
author_facet Demir, Özlem Tuğfe
Björnson, Emil
contents Cell-free massive MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) is a key enabler for the sixth generation (6G) of mobile networks, offering significant spectral and energy efficiency gains through user-centric operation of distributed access points (APs). However, its reliance on low-cost APs introduces inevitable hardware impairments, whose combined impact on wideband downlink systems remains unexplored when analyzed using behavioral models. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the downlink spectral efficiency (SE) in cell-free massive MIMO-OFDM systems under practical hardware impairments, including phase noise and third-order power amplifier nonlinearities. Both centralized and distributed precoding strategies are examined. By leveraging the Bussgang decomposition, we derive an SE expression and quantify the relative impact of impairments through simulations. Our results reveal that phase noise causes more severe degradation than power amplifier distortions, especially in distributed operation, highlighting the need for future distortion-aware precoding designs.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_21635
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Impact of Phase Noise and Power Amplifier Non-Linearities on Downlink Cell-Free Massive MIMO-OFDM Systems
Demir, Özlem Tuğfe
Björnson, Emil
Signal Processing
Cell-free massive MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) is a key enabler for the sixth generation (6G) of mobile networks, offering significant spectral and energy efficiency gains through user-centric operation of distributed access points (APs). However, its reliance on low-cost APs introduces inevitable hardware impairments, whose combined impact on wideband downlink systems remains unexplored when analyzed using behavioral models. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the downlink spectral efficiency (SE) in cell-free massive MIMO-OFDM systems under practical hardware impairments, including phase noise and third-order power amplifier nonlinearities. Both centralized and distributed precoding strategies are examined. By leveraging the Bussgang decomposition, we derive an SE expression and quantify the relative impact of impairments through simulations. Our results reveal that phase noise causes more severe degradation than power amplifier distortions, especially in distributed operation, highlighting the need for future distortion-aware precoding designs.
title Impact of Phase Noise and Power Amplifier Non-Linearities on Downlink Cell-Free Massive MIMO-OFDM Systems
topic Signal Processing
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.21635