We report on the infrared absorption spectra of three oxides, were cha
rged superlattices have been recently observed in diffraction experime
nts. In La1.67Sr0.33NiO4, polaron localization is found to suppress th
e low-energy conductivity through the opening of a gap and to split th
e E(2u)-A(2u) vibrational manifold of the oxygen octahedra. Similar ef
fects are detected in Sr1.5La0.5MnO4 and in La2NiO4+y with peculiar di
fferences related to the type of charge ordering.