Abstract
In this paper, we propose a multi-hop index modulation-aided orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (IM-aided OFDM) system, which employs decode-and-forward (DF) relaying techniques to enable the transmission of information from source to destination via the use of multiple relays. Through the use of such a cooperative transmission system, the broadcasting coverage can be enlarged and the energy efficiency enhanced accordingly. To reduce the system complexity and provide a unified analysis without the need to employ a dual-mode transmission protocol, we also present a tailored version of the conventional subcarrier activation method, which we have modified to mitigate the zero-active subcarrier dilemma. We provide a detailed comparison of the data transmission rates of both the standard method and the tailored method presented here and give proof that the method we propose has a transmission rate, which matches or exceeds the original method. We investigate the performance of the method by analyzing and presenting the average outage probability, block error rate and network capacity in closed forms. All of the analyses presented are verified through the use of numerical simulations. The results provided in this paper present the promising vision of the IM-aided OFDM in both multi-hop networks and in their potential use in the next generation networks.