Deep learning at the edge enables real-time streaming ptychographic imaging

Coherent imaging techniques provide an unparalleled multi-scale view of materials across scientific and technological fields, from structural materials to quantum devices, from integrated circuits to biological cells. Driven by the construction of brighter sources and high-rate detectors, coherent imaging methods like ptychography are poised to revolutionize nanoscale materials characterization. However, these advances are accompanied by significant increase in data and computational needs, which precede real-time imaging approaches. Here, we demonstrate a workflow that leverages artificial intelligence at the edge and high-performance computing to enable real-time inversion on X-ray ptychography data streamed directly from a detector at up to 2 kHz. The proposed AI-enabled workflow eliminates the oversampling constraints, allowing low-dose imaging using orders of magnitude less data than required by traditional methods.

Anakha V. Babu, Tao Zhou, Saugat Kandel, Tekin Bicer, Zhengchun Liu, William Judge, Daniel J. Ching, Yi Jiang, Sinisa Veseli, Steven Henke, Ryan Chard, Yudong Yao, Ekaterina Sirazitdinova, Geetika Gupta, Martin V. Holt, Ian T. Foster, Antonino Miceli, Mathew J. Cherukara