Mid-infrared absorption and Raman spectra of the geometrically frustrated material series,hydroxyl cobalt halides β-Co 2 (OH) 3 Cl and β-Co 2 (OH) 3 Br,are first,to the best of our knowledge,measured at room temperature,to study the corresponding relationship between their vibrational spectral properties and crystal microstructures.Through the comparative analysis of the four spectra we have categorically assigned the OH-related vibration modes of hydroxyl groups in the trimeric hydrogen bond environment (C...","Mid-infrared absorption and Raman spectra of the geometrically frustrated material series,hydroxyl cobalt halides β-Co2(OH)3C1 and β-Co2(OH)3Br,are first,to the best of our knowledge,measured at room temperature,to study the corresponding relationship between their vibrational spectral properties and crystal microstructures.Through the comparative analysis of the four spectra we have categorically assigned the OH-related vibration modes of hydroxyl groups in the trimeric hydrogen bond environment (Co3 ≡OH)3 … C1/Br,and tentatively suggested vibration modes of O-Co-O,Co-O and C1/Br-Co-Cl/Br units.These results can also become the basis for analysing their low-temperature spectral properties,which can help to understand the underlying physics of their exotic geometric frustration phenomena around phase transition temperatures.