The spectral efficiency of slotted CSMA ad-hoc networks with directional antennas

The performance of wireless ad-hoc networks (WANET) is mainly limited by its self-interference. This interference can be mitigated by applying smart access mechanisms and smart antennas. In this paper we analyze the performance of WANETs applying two-phase slotted carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) mechanism and utilizing directional antennas. We present simple expressions that enable a high accuracy evaluation of the network area spectral efficiency (ASE). The results show that directional antennas only affect the ASE through a scaling factor, which depends on the antennas pattern and the channel path loss. The ASE expression also provides a simple and accurate evaluation of the optimal system parameters, including the optimal network density, interference threshold and users' rates. In particular, the ASE gain for a CSMA WANET over an ALOHA WANET is shown to be approximated very well by the exponent of the back-off probability. The accuracy of the results and the usefulness of the optimization procedure are also illustrated through numerical simulations.