Evolutionary determination of experimental parameters for ptychographical imaging

The Ptychographical Iterative Engine (PIE) algorithm is a recently developed novel method of Coherent Diffractive Imaging (CDI) that uses multiple overlapping diffraction patterns to reconstruct an image. This method has successfully produced high quality reconstructions at both optical and X-ray wavelengths but the need for accurate knowledge of the probe positions is currently a limiting factor in the production of high resolution reconstructions at electron wavelengths. This paper examines the shape of the search landscape for producing optimal image reconstructions in the specific case of electron microscopy and then shows how evolutionary search methods can be used to reliably determine experimental parameters in the electron microscopy case (such as the spherical aberration in the probe and the probe positions).