Electromagnetic coupling and waveguiding in Metamaterials studied by Terahertz Near-Field Microscopy

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The proposed project aims at obtaining a detailed understanding of coupling between the subunits ("meta-atoms") in photonic metamaterials and its underlying mechanisms. For this purpose we will investigate metamaterial structures at terahertz (THz) frequencies by the powerful combination of THz time-domain spectroscopy and our recently developed THz near-field microscopy technique, enabling unprecedented visualization of electric and mag- netic field vectors in close proximity to the structures with sub-wavelength spatial and sub- picosecond temporal resolution. Experiments at THz frequencies are ideally suited for studying electromagnetic coupling in metamaterials since they combine straightforward structure fabrication, due to moderate structure sizes, with the availability of powerful experimental tools. Our near-field imaging technique enables visualizing the electric and magnetic near- fields responsible for the interaction between the microscopic structures. Based on measuring time-dependent fields this approach will further allow us to directly trace the formation and propagation of electromagnetic waves along coupled metamaterial structures (metamaterial waveguides) on sub-picosecond timescales. Ultimately, the gained knowledge on coupling between structures may lead towards the design of novel metamaterial-based waveguides.