Performance of Distance-Based Clustering Method for RIS-aided D2D Communications in Multicell Cellular Network

Some candidates for the next generation of cellular communication networks include device-to-device (D2D) communication and Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS). D2D has the potential to improve frequency resource efficiency, but it also raises interference issues because D2D users share same frequency spectrum with cellular users. RIS offers a solution in accomplishing blocked signal by obstacles. However, the RIS elements also reflect the interference signals in addition to reflecting the incoming signal in the direction of the intended user. This paper evaluates the performance of a distance-based clustering technique in RIS-aided D2D communications underlaying multicell cellular network. The clustering method is to provide an adequate distance between D2D users which use the same frequency channel, thereby it can be expected in reducing co-channel interferences. The simulation results showed that the clustering method at the number of DUEs of 120 is able to increase the SINR value by 53.19%, the throughput value by 4.17%, and reduce the bit error rate by 1.468%, all of them are compared to a baseline system. Therefore, the quality of service provided by the system with the clustering method outperforms the baseline system.