Simplified Maximum Likelihood Detection for FTN Non-Orthogonal FDM System

In this letter, we first apply simplified maximum likelihood detection (MLD) with QR decomposition and M-algorithm (QRM-MLD) to reduce inter-carrier interference (ICI) in a faster-than-Nyquist non-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (FTN-NOFDM) system. A QRM-MLD algorithm has lower computational complexity than an MLD algorithm owing to the decrease of searched path number. In the experiment, 10-Gb/s FTN-NOFDM with the QRM-MLD algorithm was transmitted over 25-km standard single mode fiber. For 20% bandwidth saving, FTN-NOFDM with the QRM-MLD algorithm can achieve almost the same performance as FTN-NOFDM with the MLD algorithm when the path with minimal metric is not discarded before detecting the last subcarrier, meanwhile the bit error rate of FTN-NOFDM with the QRM-MLD algorithm or the MLD algorithm can achieve 7% forward error correction (FEC) limit, but that with an iterative detection (ID) algorithm only can achieve 20% FEC limit. For reducing ICI, the QRM-MLD algorithm has lower computational complexity but can obtain almost the same performance as the MLD algorithm, and the QRM-MLD algorithm also has much better performance than the ID algorithm.