  Efficient symbol detection algorithms carry critical importance for achieving
the spatial multiplexing gains promised by multi-input multi-output (MIMO)
systems. In this paper, we consider a maximum a posteriori probability (MAP)
based symbol detection algorithm, called M-BLAST, over uncoded quasi-static
MIMO channels. Relying on the successive interference cancellation (SIC)
receiver, M-BLAST algorithm offers a superior error performance over its
predecessor V-BLAST with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) gain of as large as 2 dB
under various settings of recent interest. Performance analysis of the M-BLAST
algorithm is very complicated since the proposed detection order depends on the
decision errors dynamically, which makes an already complex analysis of the
conventional ordered SIC receivers even more difficult. To this end, a rigorous
analytical framework is proposed to analyze the outage behavior of the M-BLAST
algorithm over binary complex alphabets and two transmitting antennas, which
has a potential to be generalized to multiple transmitting antennas and
multidimensional constellation sets. The numerical results show a very good
match between the analytical and simulation data under various SNR values and
modulation alphabets.
