Frequency and time mapping of terahertz meta-atoms

Metamaterial active in the terahertz (THz) frequency region is very attractive due to its potential for building unique optical components, such as superlenses, using relative simple fabrication technique. The meta-atom, an elementary unit of the metamaterial, is an electromagnetic resonator with non-zero magnetic and/or electric dipole interacting with free space electromagnetic wave. All present THz metamaterial studies are performed in the far-field, thereby overlooking the details of the interaction between the electromagnetic field and the meta-atoms. On the other hand, comprehensive knowledge of this interaction is required for the design of the active metamaterial.