Error performance of DF cooperative SMTs with I/Q imbalance over Beckmann fading channels

The direct down-conversion principle, which has generally been used in the design of multiple-input multiple- output (MIMO) schemes, including space modulation techniques (SMTs), is attractive to researchers because of its low cost, low power consumption with fewer components, flexible and simple structure. However, hardware imperfections such as in-phase (I) and quadrature-phase (Q) imbalance (IQI) negatively affect the performance of the systems with direct down-conversion in practice. On the other hand, cooperative communication is a promising technology that can be utilized in the design of future wireless networks due to its significant advantages such as increasing system reliability, extending network coverage, reducing channel degradation, and providing high quality of service. In this study, SMT-based methods are integrated into cooperative systems, and a flexible and comprehensive model is presented that is applicable to many channel structures. Specifically, the error performance analysis of space shift keying (SSK), spatial modulation (SM), and quadrature SM (QSM) systems in the presence of IQI in decode-and-forward (DF) cooperative communication is carried out by analytical derivations and computer simulations over generalized Beckmann fading channels. The obtained results show that the performance of SMT-based DF cooperative systems is superior to the conventional schemes, and the effects of receiver IQI can be eliminated by optimal detector designs.