Two-dimensional photonic crystal structures (PCS) were fabricated using a one-step recording process, multi-beam interference in smart polymer nanocomposites incorporating Si0(2) and Au nanoparticles sensitized to 532 nm laser radiation. It was shown, that PCS with different geometry can be recorded in thick nanocomposite layers. The typical two dimensional (2D) PCS have square structure with 2-8 mu m period, being in good agreement with theoretical structures obtained by mathematical modeling of the recorded PCS. The peculiarities of the photo-polymerization of nanocomposites with plasmonic Au nanoparticles were analyzed on the basis of Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging (SPRi) and Raman spectroscopy investigations and used for the interpretation of the recording process and periodic structure formation. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.