  We present a new class of artificial materials which exhibit a tailored
response to the electrical component of electromagnetic radiation. These
electric metamaterials (EM-MMs) are investigated theoretically,
computationally, and experimentally using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy.
These structures display a resonant response including regions of negative
permittivity (epsilon < 0) ranging from ~500 GHz to 1 THz. Conventional
electric media such as distributed wires are difficult to incorporate into
metamaterials. In contrast, these new localized structures will simplify the
construction of future metamaterials - including those with negative index of
refraction - and will enhance the design and fabrication of functional THz
devices.
