OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) is a digital modulation technique used in telecommunications to transmit data over a wide frequency band. It is commonly used in applications such as wireless communication systems, including Wi-Fi (802.11a/g/n/ac), 4G LTE, and digital television broadcasting.
OFDM works by dividing the available frequency band into multiple subcarriers that are overlapped, but orthogonal to one another. These subcarriers are used to carry smaller amounts of data simultaneously, increasing the overall efficiency and spectral efficiency of the system. Each subcarrier is modulated with a separate stream of parallel data, allowing the transmission of multiple data streams simultaneously.
Orthogonality ensures that the subcarriers do not interfere with each other, thus eliminating the need for complex equalization techniques. It also helps combat the effects of multipath interference, by allowing the receiver to separate each subcarrier accurately, even in the presence of fading or channel distortions.
OFDM provides numerous benefits such as high data rates, robustness to frequency selective fading, and resistance to inter-symbol interference. It also enables communication systems to be more reliable in noisy environments and allows for efficient utilization of the radio frequency spectrum.
Overall, OFDM is a widely adopted modulation technique in modern wireless communication systems due to its ability to provide high data rates, resilience to channel impairments, and efficient use of available bandwidth.
