Opal photonic crystals impregnated with magnetite

We report an experimental study of the fabrication of three-dimensional magnetophotonic crystals (3D MPCs) based on artificial opals. Chemical conditions obtained at coating of SiO2 spheres with magnetite particles is used for fabrication opal-magnetite composites. Investigations of properties of synthesized composites show that synthesis of magnetic materials can be performed inside of opal lattice by using the infiltration method, and optical properties of opal-magnetite composites having all the features of opal photonic crystal strongly depend on volume fraction of magnetic material embedded into opal lattice. (C) 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.