Performance analysis of a MIMO optical wireless link with space time block code (STBC)

Abstract

Performance analysis has been carried out for a space time block coded multiple input multiple output (MIMO) optical wireless link considering atmospheric turbulence. The diversity reception in the receiving has been carried out by multiple receiving antennas with maximal ratio combining (MRC) technique. The expression of the receiver output has been derived for several sets of space time block codes considering Rayleigh fading model. The Probability density function (PDF) of the output of the MRC combiner has been developed and is used to find the unconditional average bit error rate (BER). The Performance results are evaluated numerically in terms of BER for several code and system parameters. The improvements in performance of an optical free-space link due to space diversity are determined at given BER. The optimum system design parameters are also determined at a given BER.