Experimental and theoretical studies of light coupling to various magnetic nanostructured media and nanocomposites are briefly reported. Enhancement of the magneto-optical response is shown to occur when the constitutive materials of photonic crystals are magnetic. Transmission and reflection types of 1D magnetophotonic crystals (MPCs) have been studied. New possibility to enhance the magneto-optical response has been found when utilizing localized surface plasmon resonances in bismuth-substituted yttrium iron garnet (Bi:YIG) films impregnated with Au nanoparticles. Examples of integrated optic devices are discussed in which functional elements are 1D and 2D magnetophotonic crystals.

We investigated an analogue modulation of magneto-optic spatial light modulator (MOSLM). For enhancement of the modulation from the voltage-driving MOSLM, magnetostriction and saturation magnetization of magnetic garnet films and piezoelectric constant of PZT films were investigated. The performance was expected to be improved by using Bismuth, Dysprosium and Aluminum substituted Yttrium Iron garnet, which effective magnetic field showed 20 times higher than Yttrium Iron garnet.