Bounds on the Size of Parity-Check Matrices for Quasi-Cyclic Low-Density Parity-Check Codes

In this paper, we investigate the cycle properties of quasi-cyclic low-density parity-check (QC-LDPC) codes. Using the sequence representation of a parity-check matrix for a QC-LDPC code, we analyze a necessary and sufficient condition for a cycle of a given length to exist. We then derive bounds which are necessary conditions for a QC-LDPC code to have a given girth in terms of its parameters. We also give a bound which is a sufficient condition for a QC-LDPC code of a given girth to be constructed by a greedy algorithm. The bounds derived here are applicable to any regular or irregular QC-LDPC codes as well as they improve the existing bounds in many classes of regular LDPC codes.