Optimal relay power allocation for amplify-and-forward OFDM relay networks with deliberate clipping

Deliberate clipping is a simple solution to high Peak-to-Average Power Ratio problem of OFDM signal. In Amplify-and-Forward OFDM relay networks, due to the limited resource, deliberate clipping is also suggested. However, clipping is a nonlinear process and may cause significant performance degradation. Based on Bussgang Linearization Theory, we provide a linear system model for Amplify-and-Forward OFDM relay networks. To achieve spatial diversity, we design a practical nonlinear distortion aware receiver at the destination. Considering a total relay power constraint, we propose an optimal power allocation scheme to maximize the signal-to-noise distortion ratio. Simulation results show that our optimal relay power allocation scheme can improve the system throughput and resist the non-linear distortion. It is also verified that our proposed transmission scheme outperforms other transmission schemes without considering non-linear distortion.