Provided, as a transparent magneto-optical material which does not absorb fiber laser light within a wavelength range of 0.9-1.1 m and is thus suitable for constituting a magneto-optical device such as an optical isolator wherein the formation of a thermal lens is suppressed, is a magneto-optical material which is composed of a transparent ceramic that contains a complex oxide represented by formula (1) as a main component, or which is composed of a single crystal of a complex oxide represented by formula (1).
Tb.sub.2xR.sub.2(2-x)O.sub.8-x(1)
(In the formula, 0.800<x<1.00, and R represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, titanium, tantalum tin, hafnium and zirconium (excluding the cases where R represents only silicon, germanium or tantalum)).

A magneto-optic thin film includes a substrate; a diffusion barrier layer disposed on the substrate, where the diffusion barrier layer includes a metal oxide; a buffer layer disposed on the diffusion barrier layer; and an optical isolation layer disposed on the buffer layer. The metal oxide in the diffusion barrier layer growing on the substrate is polycrystalline.

An article includes a reflector having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a third surface; and a first selective light modulator layer external to the first surface of the reflector; wherein the third surface of the reflector is open. A method of making an article is also disclosed.

Provided is a glass composition that exhibits greater Faraday effect than ever before. A glass composition contains 48% or more of Tb.sub.2O.sub.3 (exclusive of 48%) in % by mole.

An integrated non-reciprocal polarization rotator comprises a substrate, a Faraday crystal, a first waveguide, and a second waveguide. The substrate has a recess extending to a predetermined depth. The Faraday crystal is mounted in the recess and optically coupled with the first waveguide and the second waveguide.

To provide a faraday rotator using a TGG ceramic sintered compact and a light isolator using the faraday rotator such that the influence of scattered light can be relatively reduced and overall characteristics degradation for the entire light isolator is minimized so that a high extinction ratio of at least 38 dB or greater is achieved. [Solution] The faraday rotator according to the present invention uses a TGG ceramic sintered compact having an average particle diameter of 0.2 to 5.0 m, and has a transmission beam diameter of 0.3 mm or more, the TGG ceramic sintered compact being preferably annealed.

A small, low-cost 1.5-stage optical isolator has, in a forward direction, incoming light and outgoing light polarization directions that are parallel. The isolator includes a first Faraday rotator, a first polarizer, a second Faraday rotator and a second polarizer arranged in order on a light transmission path, and a magnet arranged so as to apply a same-direction magnetic field to the first Faraday rotator and the second Faraday rotator. Faraday rotation in the first Faraday rotator and Faraday rotation in the second Faraday rotator occur in opposite directions.

Substrates having structured optical appearances are disclosed. The substrate can include a surface having a photonic crystal coating disposed on the surface. The photonic crystal coating comprising capsules, each capsule comprising particles disposed in a medium and the particles are configured to align in an order array upon application of an electromagnetic field.

Provided is a glass composition that exhibits greater Faraday effect than ever before. A glass composition contains 48% or more of Tb.sub.2O.sub.3 (exclusive of 48%) in % by mole.

Provided are a magneto-optical material capable of enhancing the tunable range of magneto-optical properties such as the Faraday rotation angle, and a method for producing the same. The temperature of a substrate 20 is controlled to a first temperature within the range of 300 to 800 [? C.], and the atmospheric pressure of the substrate 20 is controlled to 1.0?10.sup.?4 [Pa] or less (first step). Using a composite target or plurality of individual targets of a TCO material exhibiting ENZ properties in the infrared wavelength region, together with a magnetic metal, a magneto-optical material 10 is deposited on the substrate 20 while the temperature of the substrate 20 is controlled to a second temperature within the range of 300 to 800 [? C.], and the atmospheric pressure of the substrate 20 is controlled to the range of 0.1 to 10 [Pa] (second step).