Accelerated single-beam multiple-intensity reconstruction using unordered propagations.

In conventional multiple-plane phase retrieval method, the wave propagations that proceed in the same ordered sequence could slow down convergence or lead to stagnation. In this Letter, a novel, to the best of our knowledge, algorithmic technique to accelerate phase retrieval using an unordered sequence of propagations is demonstrated experimentally. The main advantage of the technique is the significant increase in the change in amplitude, a key and essential element for a successful iterative phase retrieval.