Abstract-This paper provides a theoretical framework for the study of full-duplex (FD) massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) cellular networks over Rician self-interference (SI) and Rayleigh intended and other-interference fading channels. To facilitate bi-directional wireless functionality, we incorporate (i) a downlink (DL) linear zero-forcing with self-interferencenulling (ZF-SIN) precoding scheme at the FD base stations (BSs), and (ii) an uplink (UL) self-interference-aware (SIA) fractional power control mechanism at the FD user equipments (UEs). Linear ZF receivers are further utilized for signal detection in the UL. The results indicate that the UL rate bottleneck in the baseline FD single-antenna system can be elevated by several hundred times via exploiting massive MIMO. On the other hand, the findings may be viewed as a reality-check as the largest spectral efficiency gain from the FD massive MIMO cellular network over its half-duplex (HD) counterpart under state-ofthe-art system parameters is shown to be in the region of ∼40%.
I. INTRODUCTIONMassive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) is considered a de facto technology for the emerging fifth-generation (5G) cellular networks [1], [2]. The distinguishing characterstic of this type of deployment -also known as large scale antenna system (LSAS) -is that the base stations (BSs) equipped with hundreds of antennas communicate with multiple user equipments (UEs) over the same time/frequency bins. Massive MIMO cellular networks, via multiplexing multiple terminals and directing power where it is needed, are thus capabe of achieving much higher spectral and energy efficiencies over the existing long-term-evolution (LTE) standards [3].Another candidate technology for the next generation of wireless systems involves the simultaneous transmission and reception of information over the same radio resources, i.e., full-duplex (FD) communications [4]. This approach has in the past been deemed as practically infeasible due to the overwhelming self-interference (SI) which arises due to the bidirectional functionality. The rapid advancements in the family of techniques used for mitigating SI has however rendered the practical application of FD increasingly more viable, see, e.g., [5] for information on real-time point-to-point FD prototypes.The large scale adoption of full-duplexing, e.g., in the context of cellular networks, is however not straightforward and largely remains in its infancy. The main challenge lies in the introduction of SI as well as cross-mode interference