Uniqueness Theorems for Tomographic Phase Retrieval with Few Diffraction Patterns

Abstract: 3D tomographic phase retrieval under the Born approximation for discrete objects supported on a $n\times n\times n$ grid is analyzed. It is proved that $n$ projections are sufficient and necessary for unique determination by computed tomography (CT) with full projected field measurements and that $n+1$ coded projected diffraction patterns are sufficient for unique determination, up to a global phase factor, in tomographic phase retrieval. Hence $n+1$ is nearly, if not exactly, the minimum number of diffractions patterns needed for 3D tomographic phase retrieval under the Born approximation.