Rate-Splitting Multiple Access for 6G -- Part III: Interplay with Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces

TL;DR

This paper reviews the integration of rate-splitting multiple access (RSMA) with reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) for 6G, highlighting potential benefits, system modeling, performance metrics, and future research challenges.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of combining RSMA and RIS, including system modeling, performance analysis, and identifying key research challenges for 6G networks.

Findings

RIS-aided RSMA enhances spectral efficiency.

Rate region analysis under perfect and imperfect channels.

Identifies open research problems in RIS-RSMA integration.

Abstract

This letter is the third part of a three-part tutorial that focuses on rate-splitting multiple access (RSMA) for 6G. As Part III of the tutorial, this letter provides an overview of integrating RSMA and reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS). We first introduce two potential PHY layer techniques, namely, RSMA and RIS, including the need for integrating RSMA with RIS and how they could help each other. Next, we provide a general model of an RIS-aided RSMA system and summarize some key performance metrics. Then, we discuss the major advantages of RIS-aided RSMA networks, and illustrate the rate region of RIS-aided RSMA for both perfect and imperfect channel conditions. Finally, we summarize the research challenges and open problems for RIS-aided RSMA systems. In conclusion, RSMA is a promising technology for next generation multiple access (NGMA) and future networks such as 6G and beyond.