A Survey on Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access: From the Perspective of Spectral Efficiency and Energy Efficiency

Abstract

Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) is a promising technology for next-generation wireless networks with emerging demands on low latency, high throughput, and massive connectivity. Unlike orthogonal multiple access, NOMA allows multiple users to share the same radio resources, which significantly improves spectral efficiency (SE). To achieve green wireless communications for numerous networked devices, NOMA helps reduce energy consumption while satisfying rate fairness and quality-of-experience requirements. The goal of this paper is to introduce the innovative approaches for NOMA in terms of the SE and energy efficiency, and discuss emerging technologies involved with NOMA. Further, its challenges and future research directions are highlighted.