CW operation of an intracavity pumped molecular submillimeter-wave laser

The 373-μm line of CH
3
CN was operated in a CW mode in an arrangement where the submillimeter (SMM)-wave laser is placed inside the resonator of the CO
2
pump laser. 1 mW of CW output power was obtained; this is five times the power of a comparable SMM-wave laser in the common extracavity arrangement. In a pulsed mode, a peak power of 46 mW was measured.