THz pulse propagation along inkjet-printed metal stripes: Towards a 3D wire-medium for subwavelength imaging

An experimental investigation of the transport mechanism through a wire medium in the THz regime is performed. Such a 3D arrangement of subwavelength-spaced metal wires captures an electric field distribution at its front interface and transmits it to the backside without distortion. In order to understand the underlying canalization effect and its basic transport mechanism we measured the transmitted field distribution of metal microstructures illuminated by THz pulses by THz near-field microscopy.