A novel detection method based on maximum-likelihood (ML) detection leveraging Mahalanobis distance is proposed for single-radio-frequency (RF) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. It can enhance bit error rate (BER) performance and is based on the observation that when using reconfigurable antennas (such as electronically steerable parasitic array radiators (ESPARs) to create a single-RF MIMO system, an additional model error arising from the reconfigurable antennas is introduced. These modeling errors produce an irreducible BER (error floor) at high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Simulation results, using ESPAR as an example, validate our error floor analysis and demonstrate that our proposed enhanced detection method can effectively address the error floor and reduce the BER at high transmit SNRs.

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