Abstract:
Massive MIMO (mMIMO)and Holographic MIMO are some of the approaches used
for performance improvement in wireless communication networks. However, these
approaches are limited by high power consumption and little control over the
propagation environment. In the case of a blocked Line of Sight (LOS) scenario, the
above-mentioned approaches would be less effective due to the multiple paths formed
by the signal from the transmitter to the receiver. An Intelligent Reflecting Surface (IRS)
is a 2D array of subwavelength metamaterials that has emerged as a potential solution
to these challenges. It provides an alternative path for propagating signals resulting in
an SNR that increases squarely with the number of IRS elements. The main objective of
this work is to demonstrate how the IRS offers unmatched performance, particularly in
blocked LOS scenarios. Blocked LOS scenarios interfere with data transmission especially
where there is a need for high data rate transmissions. Current approaches to overcome
the blocked LOS problem have not been cost effective due to their high-power
consumption and cost. The performance of a passive IRS is investigated through
MATLAB simulation and compared with the performance of mMIMO and half-duplex
relays. A comparison is done for the data rate increase with the number of antennas/IRS
elements for the three systems. Results indicate that the data rate of an IRS-aided system
increases squarely with the number of IRS elements while that of mMIMO relay
increases linearly with the number of antennas. Although the IRS can outperform the
relay only if the number of IRS elements exceeds the number of relay antennas, previous
studies have shown that the power consumption of an IRS is significantly lower than
that of a relay with a similar number of antennas [1]. This makes the IRS an attractive
solution for data rate and SNR issues in communication systems. This work shows that
the IRS is a novel solution to performance bottlenecks, making it vital for current and
future wireless communication systems.
Keywords: Wireless Communication, IRS, data rate, performa
