Optical transmission through circular hole arrays in optically thick metal films

In this paper we extend our theoretical treatment of the extraordinary optical transmission through hole arrays to the case of circular holes and beyond the subwavelength limit. Universal curves for the optical transmission in different regimes of the geometrical parameters defining the array are presented. Finally, we further develop the statement by showing that extraordinary transmission phenomena should be expected for any system where transmission is through two localized modes, weakly coupled between them and coupled to a continuum. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.