One-shot rapid deterministic phase imaging by beam splitting phase modulation

•A one-shot non-iterative quantitative phase detection method is developed for general coherent diffraction imaging by combining algebraic phase retrieval solution and refractive beam-splitting technique.•With a single exposure and very fast solving process (ms-level) that not requires any iteration, this method is quite suitable for real-time phase imaging.•A detailed analysis to the influence of equipment defects with respect to the image sensor and phase mask on the accuracy of the method is given based on simulations.•Experiments of one-shot wavefront detection are carried out, which demonstrate the feasibility of the method to detect smooth wavefront in real-time.