Single-frame coherent diffraction imaging of extended objects using triangular aperture.

We propose a method of single-frame coherent diffraction imaging using a triangular aperture, which can not only reconstruct the projection image of extended objects from a single-frame coherent diffraction pattern, but also improve the image of the wavefield of the probe. In this method, a plane-wave illuminates a triangular aperture. An object is placed immediately after the aperture or in the image plane of the aperture through a lens. A far-field coherent diffraction pattern is collected by a two-dimensional detector. The object image is reconstructed from the single-frame diffraction pattern using a phase retrieval algorithm without support constraints. We simulate feasible experimental setups in the hard X-ray regime and show that this method can be practical use for single-frame coherent diffraction imaging. The present method has the potential exploring dynamic phenomena in materials science and biology with high spatiotemporal resolution using synchrotron radiation/free-electron lasers.