Enhanced transmission of transverse electric waves through subwavelength slits in a thin metallic film.

By adding an array of metallic cut wires, the transmission of transverse electric (TE) waves (the electric field is parallel to the slits) through subwavelength slits in a thin metallic film is significantly enhanced. An 800-fold enhanced transmission is obtained compared to the case without the cut wires. It is demonstrated that a TE incident wave is highly confined by the cut wires, due to the excitation of the electric dipolelike resonance, and then effectively squeezed into and through the subwavelength slits.