Phase Retrieval via Sensor Network Localization

Abstract: The problem of phase retrieval is revisited and studied from a fresh perspective. In particular, we establish a connection between the phase retrieval problem and the sensor network localization problem, which allows us to utilize the vast theoretical and algorithmic literature on the latter to tackle the former. Leveraging this connection, we develop a two-stage algorithm for phase retrieval that can provably recover the desired signal. In both sparse and dense settings, our proposed algorithm improves upon prior approaches simultaneously in the number of required measurements for recovery and the reconstruction time. We present numerical results to corroborate our theory and to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. As a side result, we propose a new form of phase retrieval problem and connect it to the complex rigidity theory proposed by Gortler and Thurston.