Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 February 2011
Rare earth-based mixed-anions (O, S, F) compounds have been prepared by solid state route. The structures have been determined on the basis of powder diffraction (X-ray/neutrons) refinement and/or single crystal analysis. They have been described as a stacking of [Sx] 2x- layers and fluorite type blocks. The evaluation of the rare earth environment (bondlength, number of neighbors) can be directly related to the bandgap and to the UV-visible absorption in the La-based compounds.