Broadband terahertz generation from metamaterials.

The terahertz spectral regime, ranging from about 0.1-15 THz, is one of the least explored yet most technologically transformative spectral regions. One current challenge is to develop efficient and compact terahertz emitters/detectors with a broadband and gapless spectrum that can be tailored for various pump photon energies. Here we demonstrate efficient single-cycle broadband THz generation, ranging from about 0.1-4 THz, from a thin layer of split-ring resonators with few tens of nanometers thickness by pumping at the telecommunications wavelength of 1.5 μm (200 THz). The terahertz emission arises from exciting the magnetic-dipole resonance of the split-ring resonators and quickly decreases under off-resonance pumping. This, together with pump polarization dependence and power scaling of the terahertz emission, identifies the role of optically induced nonlinear currents in split-ring resonators. We also reveal a giant sheet nonlinear susceptibility ~10(-16) m(2) V(-1) that far exceeds thin films and bulk non-centrosymmetric materials.