Modulations with Low Peak‐to‐Average Power Ratio

We compare the main multicarrier modulation formats when employed over channels with nonlinear amplification. Using a general and unified discrete‐time model that encompasses orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and its most popular alternatives, we perform a comparison using the achievable spectral efficiency, computed in the presence of specific channel and amplifier models, as performance indicator. This provides a more precise quantitative measure of the effect that the different peak‐to‐average power ratio (PAPR) of these modulations has on the ultimate performance. In the numerical results, different LTE channel models are considered. We show that, depending on the considered channel, the winning modulation format is not always the same. In any case, modulation formats other than OFDM exhibit the best performance.