LuF[SeO3]: the structural chameleon of lanthanoid fluoride oxoselenates(IV)

Polytypism of Ln(SeO3)(HSeO3)·2H2O compounds: synthesis and crystal structure of the first monoclinic modification of Nd(SeO3)(HSeO3)·2H2O, DFT calculations and order/disorder description

Compounds with the general formula Ln³⁺(SeO₃)(HSeO₃)·2H₂O, where Ln = Sm³⁺, Tb³⁺, Nd³⁺ and Lu³⁺, are characterized by orthorhombic symmetry with space group P2₁2₁2₁ and unit-cell parameters in the ranges a ∼ 6.473-6.999, b ∼ 6.845-7.101, c ∼ 16.242-16.426 Å. Light-purple irregularly shaped crystals of a new monoclinic polytype of neodymium selenite Nd(SeO₃)(HSeO₃)·2H₂O have been obtained during a mild-condition hydrothermal synthesis. The monoclinic unit-cell parameters are: a = 7.0815 (2), b = 6.6996 (2), c = 16.7734 (5) Å, β = 101.256 (1)°, V = 780.48 (6) ų; space group P2₁/c. The crystal structures of Nd(SeO₃)(HSeO₃)·2H₂O polymorphs show order-disorder (OD) character and can be described using the same OD groupoid family, more precisely a family of OD structures built up from two kinds of non-polar layers (category IV). The first monoclinic maximum degree order (MDO) structure (MDO1-polytype) with space group P2₁/c can be obtained when the inversion centre is active in the L_2n-type layers, while the second MDO structure (MDO2-polytype) is orthorhombic with space group P2₁2₁2₁ and can be obtained when the [2₁--] operation is active in the L_2n-type layers. The structural complexity parameters and DFT calculations of both polytypes show that the polytype structures are extremely close energy-wise and almost equally viable from the point of total energy of the structure.

Role of fluorine on the structure and second-harmonic-generation property of inorganic selenites and tellurites

Fluorine, as the most electronegative element, can replace the oxygen ligands of functional groups under given conditions. These fluoride groups are more or less different from the pure oxide groups in composition, symmetry, polarizability, transmittancy, etc. The rational use of these differences is expected to improve the probability of noncentrosymmetric structures and the comprehensive performance of second-harmonic-generation (SHG) materials. In this feature article, we introduce the recent developments in fluoride selenite and tellurite SHG materials together with highlighting our contributions, including Se(IV) and Te(IV) compounds with (i) d⁰ transition metal oxyfluoride octahedron, (ii) IIIA metal oxyfluoride octahedron, (iii) fluoride lone pair cation polyhedron, and (iv) other fluoride polyhedron. The future perspectives of fluoride selenite and tellurite SHG materials are also discussed.

"Soft" Alkali Bromide and Iodide Fluxes for Crystal Growth

In this review we discuss general trends in the use of alkali bromide and iodide (ABI) fluxes for exploratory crystal growth. The ABI fluxes are ionic solution fluxes at moderate to high temperatures, 207 to ~1,300°C, which offer a good degree of flexibility in the selection of the temperature profile and solubility. Although their main use is to dissolve and recrystallize "soft" species such as chalcogenides, many compositions with "hard" anions, including oxides and nitrides, have been obtained from the ABI fluxes, highlighting their unique versatility. ABI fluxes can serve to provide a reaction and crystallization medium for different types of starting materials, mostly the elemental and binary compounds. As the use of alkali halide fluxes creates an excess of the alkali cations, these fluxes are often reactive, incorporating one of its components to the final compositions, although some examples of non-reactive ABI fluxes are known.

Parameterization of the coupling between strain and order parameter for LuF[SeO3]

The high-temperature phase transition of LuF[SeO3] has been characterized by time-resolved high-resolution synchrotron powder diffraction. On heating, a second-order structural phase transition was found at 393 K, while on cooling the same phase transition occurs at 371 K, showing a large hysteresis typical for a first-order phase transition. Detailed analysis using sequential and parametric whole powder pattern fitting revealed that the coupling between the strain and the displacive order parameter determines the behaviour of the material during the phase transition. Different possible coupling mechanisms have been evaluated and the most probable rationalized.