Self-reversal of the wavefront of high-power radiation in a light-induced four-wave interaction in a resonant medium

A wavefront reversal system is proposed for high-power optical radiation. This system is based on a resonant four-wave interaction without recourse to external pump waves. Stimulated scattering of the wave being reversed in a resonant medium placed inside a resonator creates two opposite pump waves and a parametric interaction between them generates reversed radiation. The efficiency of such self-reversal is comparable with the efficiency of conventional wavefront reversal as a result of a four-wave interaction in nonresonant media with a phase nonlinearity and it may reach 10^–3.