All-optical Fresnel lens in coherent media: controlling image with image.

We theoretically explore an all-optical method for generating tunable diffractive Fresnel lenses in coherent media based on electromagnetically induced transparency. In this method, intensity-modulated images in coupling light fields can pattern the coherent media to induce the desired modulo-2π quadratic phase profiles for the lenses to diffract probe light fields. We characterize the focusing and imaging properties of the induced lenses. In particular, we show that the images in coupling fields can flexibly control the images in probe fields by diffraction, where large focal length tunability from 1 m to infinity and high output (∼ 88% diffraction efficiency) can be achieved. Additionally, we also find that the induced Fresnel lenses can be rapidly modulated with megahertz refresh rates using image-bearing square pulse trains in coupling fields. Our proposed lenses may find a wide range of applications for multimode all-optical signal processing in both the classical and quantum regimes.