Diversity analysis for energy detection-based spectrum sensing

In this study the authors perform a diversity analysis for an energy detection-based non-coherent spectrum sensing scheme and benchmark it against a genie aided coherent spectrum sensing scheme, which has full knowledge of the fading channel. In both cases the sensor has access to multiple independent channel observations. Results show that both schemes achieve full diversity. However, the authors find that the coherent scheme approaches this asymptotic limit faster than the non-coherent scheme. Through analysis the authors determine the penalty of the non-coherent scheme over the coherent scheme in converging to the asymptotic limit as a function of the SNR and the number of diversity branches. With these results the authors substantiate analysis, previously made, and thus provide further insights into the trade-off between complexity and performance for spectrum sensing schemes.