(NH)CdClF and (NH)CdBrF: The First Fluoride-Containing d Metal Mixed Halides Exhibiting Superior Ultraviolet Nonlinear Optical Properties.

In the search for new ultraviolet (UV) nonlinear optical (NLO) materials, two novel cadmium mixed halide compounds, (NH)CdClF and (NH)CdBrF, are successfully synthesized via hydrothermal methods. These compounds crystallize in the noncentrosymmetric (NCS) space group, R32, and are composed of distorted octahedral [CdXF] (X═Cl or Br) units, which extend into a 3D framework. Remarkably, both compounds demonstrate strong second-harmonic generation (SHG) efficiencies-3.

Bi(SO)F·HO and Bi(SO)(NO)·3HO: Chemical Substitution-Induced Birefringence Enhancement in Bismuth Sulfates.

Two new Bi(III)-based sulfates, namely, Bi(SO)F·HO (BSOF) and Bi(SO)(NO)·3HO (BSNO), have been successfully synthesized through aliovalent replacement of partial [SO] groups with F and [NO] anions, respectively, in the parent structure of Bi(SO). Such chemical replacement altered the coordination environment of Bi cations, facilitating changes in the structure and optical properties. Notably, the birefringence values of BSOF and BSNO are found to be 4.