Wavefront reversal of optical beams in resonant media

It is shown that detuning from resonance in resonant media may cause wavefront reversal (WFR) accompanied by rotation. This effect is due to parametric diffraction from phase gratings of the population difference. In resonance, WFR may be found without phase distortions as a result of diffraction from gain gratings in the inverted medium. An analysis is made of the initial stage of the WFR kinetics and the possibility of observing inhomogeneities in WFR is studied.