Fabrication and Properties of Self-organized Three-dimensional Magnetophotonic Crystals

In order to fabricate the three-dimensional magnetophotonic crystals (3D-MPCs), we prepared the artificial opals composed by amorphous SiO2 spheres with diameter of 500 nm using gravitational sedimentation. These artificial opals had continuous net of voids between a-SiO2 spheres, which was filled with different type of magnetic materials. Characteristic properties of 3D-MPCs were studied by different experimental techniques. We found that magnetic and optical properties of opal-magnetic material composites retained the features of 3D-PC.