Binary and quadriphase sequences with optimal autocorrelation properties: a survey

Time-discrete signals with good autocorrelation properties are used in various applications in communications engineering. From an implementation point of view, usually sequences with a small phase alphabet and a maximal energy efficiency, i.e., a uniform envelope, are most favorable. For this reason, known methods as well as several new construction techniques of binary and quadriphase sequences with optimal or best known autocorrelation properties are discussed in this correspondence. In many cases, the achievable correlation properties can be improved significantly if a single zero element per sequence is accepted. These "almost" binary and "almost" quadriphase sequences are considered as well. The optimality criteria used include the maximum absolute sidelobe and the merit factor of the periodic and the odd-periodic autocorrelation function, respectively. For sequence lengths of up to 44 in the binary case and up to 32 in the quadriphase case, the best known parameters obtained by computer search are compared with the constructed results.