A new quaternary rare-earth sulfide, Cs0.75（6）Er443（5）In3.32（6）S12 （1）, is discovered by high temperature solid state reactions with a slight excess of CsCI flux. The structure is characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, while crystallizes in hexagonal space group P63/m （No. 176） with a = 12.0329（6）, c = 3.8693（5）A, V= 485.18（7） A3, Z = 1, Mr = 1606.57, Dc = 5.499 g/cm3,μ = 25.457 mm-1, F（000） = 752, the final R = 0.0337 and wR = 0.0904 for 328 observed reflections with I 〉 2σ（I）. Its structure features a three-dimensional framework with hexagonal channels that are centered by Cs cations. Such channels are formed by double chains of edge-sharing M（1）S6 （M（1） = Er（1）/In（1）） octahedra and single chains of Er（2）S6 triprism interconnected by corner-sharing. The syntheses, single-crystal analyses, optical band gap and magnetic property are reported.
In order to explain the opposite phase matchability of two types of newly discovered chalcogenides, AX2MQ6 vs AX4M5Q12 belonging to the same R3 space group, the linear and nonlinear optical properties are calculated. The calculated Electron Localization Function（ELF） show the acentricity of the bonds on the Q^2- ions with sp^3 hybridization is the main origin of the optical anisotropy. To quantify such an acentricity, a geometric parameter, the dihedral angle between the tetrahedral undersides and the xy-planes is defined. And the calculated birefringence depends on the above defined geometric parameter and the ion radius. This correlation reasonably explains the opposite phase matchability of two closely related chalcogenide families of AX2MQ6 and AX4M5Q12 and is shedding useful light on further exploration on phase matchable IR-NLO crystals.
Well defined BiOI nanolamellas and BiSI nanorods have been synthesized by a solventless method. The phase identity, morphology, growth orientation, and conversion from lamella to rod have been investigated. Several experimental facts suggest that the growth orientations of BiOI nanolamellas and BiSI nanorods are guided by their corresponding crystal structure motifs. The optical band gaps of BiOI and BiSI are measured to be 1.97 and 1.61 eV, and the visible light photocatalytic activity of BiOI lamellas is primarily measured.
