STAR-RIS-NOMA Networks: An Error Performance Perspective

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the bit error rate performance of STAR-RIS-assisted NOMA networks, deriving closed-form expressions and demonstrating that STAR-RIS outperforms traditional NOMA systems, indicating its potential as a next-generation solution.

Contribution

It provides the first closed-form BER expressions for STAR-RIS-NOMA with perfect and imperfect SIC, along with asymptotic analysis and validation through simulations.

Findings

STAR-RIS-NOMA outperforms classical NOMA in BER performance

Closed-form BER expressions derived for perfect and imperfect SIC

Asymptotic analysis offers insights into high SNR behavior

Abstract

This letter investigates the bit error rate (BER) performance of simultaneous transmitting and reflecting reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (STAR-RISs) in non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) networks. In the investigated network, a STAR-RIS serves multiple non-orthogonal users located on either side of the surface by utilizing the mode switching protocol. We derive the closed-form BER expressions in perfect and imperfect successive interference cancellation cases. Furthermore, asymptotic analyses are also conducted to provide further insights into the BER behavior in the high signal-to-noise ratio region. Finally, the accuracy of our theoretical analysis is validated through Monte Carlo simulations. The obtained results reveal that the BER performance of STAR-RIS-NOMA outperforms that of the classical NOMA system, and STAR-RIS might be a promising NOMA 2.0 solution.