Non-binary algebraic spatially-coupled quasi-cyclic LDPC codes

This paper considers the algebraic construction and performance of non-binary spatially-coupled low density parity check (LDPC) codes. A replicate-and-mask approach is presented to construct finite-length algebraic quasi-cyclic (QC) spatially-coupled (SC) LDPC codes. Numerical results show the superiority of non-binary algebraic SC QC LDPC codes over the corresponding random non-binary (block and SC) LDPC codes. In this paper, it is demonstrated that the threshold saturation phenomenon, previously demonstrated for binary SC LDPC codes, also holds for non-binary SC LDPC codes over the binary-input AWGN channel with BPSK modulation.