Optical transmissions were studied for Fe/MgF2multilayered thin films whose total Fe thickness is kept at 1000 A˚. The optical transmission at 700 nm was 26%, and 67% at 2000 nm for films with 15 A˚ Fe layer thickness. These transmissions were almost proportional to the inverse of the Fe layer thickness. The Maxwell‐Garnett model can be a possible mechanism for the granularlike multilayer, for example, the (15 A˚/30 A˚) 70 film; however, transmissions were also enhanced in films with continuous Fe layers. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.