Patent ID: 8351569

Claim:
A method for producing a simulated reconstructed x-ray wavefront, comprising: propagating a first x-ray wavefront along an optical path defined from an x-ray source through a wavefront sensor element to a detector, wherein said detector detects a reference wavefront; inserting a sample into said optical path between said x-ray source and said wavefront sensor; propagating a second x-ray wavefront along said optical path and to said detector, wherein said detector detects a signal wavefront; calculating a phase gradient between said reference wavefront and said signal wavefront; simulating the propagation of said signal wavefront back to a simulated screen located at the position of said sample to produce a propagated wavefront; adjusting said propagated wavefront with a percentage of said phase gradient to produce an adjusted wavefront; simulating the propagation of said adjusted wavefront to said detector to produce a simulated signal wavefront; calculating a subsequent phase gradient between said signal wavefront and said simulated signal wavefront; simulating the propagation of said simulated signal wavefront back to said simulated screen to produce a second propagated wavefront; adjusting said second propagated wavefront with a percentage of said subsequent phase gradient to produce a second adjusted wavefront; simulating the propagation of said second adjusted wavefront to said detector to produce a reconstructed x-ray wavefront; and displaying said reconstructed x-ray wavefront.