Enhanced transmission due to disorder.

The transmissivity of a one-dimensional random system that is periodic on average is studied. It is shown that the transmission coefficient for frequencies corresponding to a gap in the band structure of the average periodic system increases with increasing disorder when the disorder is weak enough. This property is shown to be universal, independent of the type of fluctuations causing the randomness. In the case of strong disorder the transmission coefficient for frequencies in allowed bands is found to be a nonmonotonic function of the strength of the disorder. An explanation for the latter behavior is provided. © 1995 The American Physical Society