THIBAULT3	Optimising wavefront properties for near-field ptychography
Type	Theoretical / Experimental
#students	1
Orientation	Why is the scientific problem of interest at all? Ptychography is an imaging technique that uses coherent light to produce quantitative maps of the transmission function of a sample. It’s “near-field” version, similar to holography, uses a diffuser to modulate the incident beam to create a carrier wave-front on which the sample’s transmission properties are encoded.
How	How is the research going to shed light on the given problem? Up to now very little is known about the ideal properties of the wave-front diffuser. Important improvements in image quality are expected to result from a better understanding of these properties.
What	What is the specific thing that the student will do, and how does it fit inside the overall project? In this project, the student will conduct realistic simulations of wave-field propagation and scattering to understand better and pinpoint the optimal imaging conditions of near-field ptychography. The results will be tested with measurements with a laser setup and/or at a synchrotron source.
Special Knowledge	Theoretical understanding of Fourier analysis, diffraction and scattering physics, optics, wave propagation. Experience with programming in python.
Supervisor	Dr Pierre Thibault p.thibault@ucl.ac.uk