Rare-earth silicon-oxynitride J-phases, Ln(4)Si(2)O(7)N(2) (Ln = Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu), were prepared by the N-2 gas-pressured sintering method at 1 MPa of N-2 and 1500-1700 degrees C. The Rietveld analysis was carried out for X-ray powder diffraction data measured at room temperature. The crystal structures of Ln(4)Si(2)O(7)N(2) were refined with the structure model of La4Si2O7N2 for Ln = La, Pr, Nd, and Sm, and with that of Lu4Si2O7N2 for Ln = Y, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu. The refined monoclinic unit-cell parameters (lengths a, b, c, angles beta, and volume V) increased linearly in their two series of Ln with increasing ionic radii of rare-earth atoms. Discontinuities of the unit-cell parameters were found between the two Ln series. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.