Phase retrieval in crystallography and optics

Phase problems occur in many scientific disciplines, particularly those involving remote sensing using a wave field. Although there has been much interest in phase retrieval in optics and in imaging in general over the past decade, phase retrieval has a much longer history in x-ray crystallography, and a variety of powerful and practical techniques have been developed. The nature of crystallography means that crystallographic phase problems are distinct from those in other imaging contexts, but there are a number of commonalities. Here the principles of phase retrieval in crystallography are outlined and are compared and contrasted with phase retrieval in general imaging. Uniqueness results are discussed, but the emphasis is on phase-retrieval algorithms and areas in which results in one discipline have, and may, contribute to the other.