Effects of buffer gas on miniature optically pumped submillimeter wave laser

The effect of buffer gas N/sub 2/ on miniature optically pumped NH/sub 3/ submillimeter wave (SMMW) cavity laser emission at 67.2 /spl mu/m was studied theoretically and experimentally. It has been found that: 1) N/sub 2/ had a positive effect on laser output at 67.2 /spl mu/m; 2) sharp absorption in laser spectrum under certain gas mixture pressures corresponded to the threshold of "bottleneck effect".