A numerical calculation of entanglement dynamics between two non-resonant atoms interacting with a multi-mode optical cavity field has shown that the field enhances the degree of entanglement between the two atoms. Using the position of one atom of the pair as a controlling parameter, entanglement dynamics is analyzed in terms of the entanglement of formation, making a comparison with the dynamics in a single-mode cavity field. It is shown that the degree of entanglement of the present system is enhanced by the usage of multi-mode cavity and by positioning the atom closely at the node of the field mode. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.