Electronic polarizability and optical basicity of lanthanide oxides

The average electronic polarizability of oxide ions alpha(O2-) in p- and s-block, d transition metal and heavy s- and p-block oxides has been calculated by Duffy and Dimitrov. However, lanthanide oxides have not yet been well revealed, which are promising materials for luminescence and nonlinear optical. In this study, new data of the average electronic oxide polarizability of rare earth oxides have been calculated on the basis of linear refractive index n(0) and energy gap E-g. The optical basicity Lambda of rare earth oxides has been estimated on the basis of average electronic oxide polarizability calculated from the refractive index no and the energy gap E-g. Our present conclusion suggests that lanthanide oxide should be supplemented to the second group according to the values of their oxide polarizability. We also looked for another lanthanide contraction phenomenon that the electronic polarizability of oxide ion decreases with increasing atomic number. Furthermore, close correlations are investigated among alpha(O2-), Lambda, E-g, and n(0) in this paper. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.