Bit error rate analysis for an OFDM system with channel estimation in a nonlinear and frequency-selective fading channel

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is an effective technique for high-speed digital transmission over time-dispersive channels. However, for coherent detection, a reliable channel estimation (CE) is required. OFDM is characterized by its high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR), which makes it very sensitive to nonlinear distortions that may affect the channel estimation accuracy leading to a bit error rate (BER) performance degradation. In this paper, we present closed-form BER expression for OFDM with a pilot-assisted CE in a nonlinear and frequency-selective fading channel. We discuss how, and to what extent, the nonlinear degradation affects the BER performance with the CE based on a time/frequency division-multiplexed (TDM/FDM) pilot. The analysis is based on a Gaussian approximation of the nonlinear noise due to both HPA amplitude limitation and quantization. We also evaluate the estimator's mean square error (MSE) with both TDM and FDM pilots. Our results show that pilot-assisted CE using FDM pilot is more sensitive to nonlinear distortions than the CE using a TDM pilot, since its pilot subcarriers are affected by nonlinear noise due to both the HPA and the quantization.