OFDM AWGN Channel Simulation with BER Analysis

OFDM AWGN channel simulation, encompassing complete transmitter-to-receiver chain implementation and Bit Error Rate (BER) analysis.

OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) is a modulation technique widely used in wireless communication systems. It achieves efficient data transmission by dividing high-speed data streams into multiple low-speed subcarriers and orthogonalizing them in the frequency domain. This simulation investigates OFDM performance over AWGN channels by implementing key functions including QAM modulation, IFFT transformation, cyclic prefix insertion, channel modeling, and receiver-side signal processing algorithms.

The simulation involves comprehensive modeling of both transmitter and receiver components. The transmitter implements OFDM modulation through MATLAB functions like qammod() for constellation mapping and ifft() for time-domain signal conversion. The receiver simulates channel effects using awgn() function for noise addition and performs demodulation using fft() and qamdemod() operations. By comparing original transmitted data with demodulated received data through XOR operations and error counting, we calculate BER metrics to evaluate system reliability.

The implementation utilizes MATLAB's Communications Toolbox for efficient simulation, allowing parameter adjustments such as SNR levels (using snr_db variables), number of subcarriers (N_fft parameter), and modulation orders (QAM-16, QAM-64 etc.). Performance analysis includes BER vs SNR curves generation using semilogy() plots and comparative studies under different system configurations.

In conclusion, OFDM AWGN channel simulation represents a critical research area with significant implications for wireless communication system design and optimization. This simulation provides practical insights into OFDM technology's real-world performance through implemented MATLAB code structures, offering valuable references for system design decisions and performance validation methodologies.