Terahertz response of a microfabricated rod-split-ring-resonator electromagnetic metamaterial

The first electromagnetic metamaterials (EM3) produced by microfabrication are reported. They are based on the rod-split-ring-resonator design as proposed by Pendry et al. [IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech. 47, 2075 (1999)] and experimentally confirmed by Smith et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 4184 (2000)] in the GHz frequency range. Numerical simulation and experimental results from far infrared (FIR) transmission spectroscopy support the conclusion that the microfabricated composite material is EM3 in the range 1-2.7 THz. This extends the frequency range in which EM3 are available by about 3 orders of magnitude well into the FIR, thereby widely opening up opportunities to verify the unusual physical implications on electromagnetic theory as well as to build novel electromagnetic and optical devices.