Birefringenceattractsincreasingattentionduetoitsextensiveapplicationsintheimagingspectrometer,laserdevicesandopticalcomponents.Stimulatedbythediscoveryofthegiantbirefringence(GBF)inLaOBiS_2andAFBiS2,weexploreitsoriginbycheckingthreecompoundswithandwithouttheBiS_2layer:Bi_2OS_2(i.e.,BiOBiS_2),Bi_2O_2SandLaOAlS_2.ItisdemonstratedthatGBFappearsonlyinthecompoundswiththeBiS_2layerandisfurthermoreconfirmedinMOBiS_2(M=AI,Ga,InandSc)compounds.Theresultisusefulfordiscovering/developingnew-typebirefringentcrystalorevenmultifunctionalmaterials.
