Left handed dispersion of a stack of subwavelength hole metal arrays at terahertz frequencies

Abstract

We report on the electromagnetic response of a stack of subwavelength hole metal arrays. The samples were designed for exhibiting left handed dispersion branches under normal incidence, and their transmissivities were optimized via the fabrication of elliptical-shaped holes. They are constituted of benzocyclobutene layers with tens of micron thicknesses and submicron-thick gold films patterned by photolithography. Experimental evidence, achieved by time-domain terahertz spectroscopy and supported by full wave simulations, of a ground left handed dispersion branch is found around 0.45 THz. The insertion losses are −3 dB for a five-layer structure, this good level being explained by the matching of the impedance.