Abstract
Well-crystallized NaREF4: Yb3+, Er3+ (RE = Y, Lu, La, Gd) phosphors were synthesized by a solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction characterization showed that the synthesized samples were all pure hexagonal phase after a calcination process on the as-prepared precursors at 550 °C for 2 h by using Na2CO3 as a fluxing agent. Upconversion spectral analysis showed that under a 1550 nm laser diode excitation, the samples emitted dominant green emission centered at 540 nm and red emission centered at 654 nm, which corresponded to the 2H11/2/4S3/2→4I15/2 and 4F9/2→4I15/2 transition of Er3+ ions, respectively. Color-tunable upconversion luminescence was realized by the variation of Yb3+/Er3+ doping concentration and the types of the host materials, indicating the synthesized hexagonal Yb3+ and Er3+ co-doped NaREF4 phosphors potential applications in many fields, especially in biological imaging and detection.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
X.Y. Huang, S.Y. Han, W. Huang, X.G. Liu, Enhancing solar cell efficiency: the search for luminescent materials as spectral converters. Chem. Soc. Rev. 42, 173–201 (2013)
P. Ramasamy, P. Manivasakan, J. Kim, Upconversion nanophosphors for solar cell applications. RSC Adv. 4, 34873–34895 (2014)
F. Auzel, Upconversion and anti-stokes processes with f and d ions in solids. Chem. Rev. 104, 139–173 (2004)
H. Schäfer, M. Haase, Upconverting nanoparticles. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 50, 5808–5829 (2011)
Y.W. Seo, B.C. Choi, B.K. Moon, S.H. Park, J.H. Jeong, K.H. Kim, J.H. Kim, Tunable up-conversion luminescence from Er3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ tri-doped Sr2CeO4 phosphors. J. Lumin. 182, 240–245 (2017)
X.M. Li, R. Wang, F. Zhang, D.Y. Zhao, Engineering homogeneous doping in single nanoparticle to enhance upconversion efficiency. Nano Lett. 14, 3634–3639 (2014)
Q. Liu, Y. Sun, T.S. Yang, W. Feng, C.G. Li, F.Y. Li, Sub-10 nm hexagonal lanthanide-doped NaLuF4 upconversion nanocrystals for sensitive bioimaging in vivo. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 133, 17122–17125 (2011)
C. Chen, N. Kang, T. Xu, D. Wang, L. Ren, X.Q. Guo, Core-shell hybrid upconversion nanoparticles carrying stable nitroxide radicals as potential multifunctional nanoprobes for upconversion luminescence and magnetic resonance dual-modality imaging. Nanoscale. 7, 5249–5261 (2015)
Y.B. Mao, T. Tran, X. Guo, J.Y. Huang, C.K. Shih, K.L. Wang, J.P. Chang, Luminescence of nanocrystalline erbium-doped yttria. Adv. Funct. Mater. 19, 748–754 (2009)
F. Wang, R.R. Deng, J. Wang, Q.X. Wang, Y. Han, H.M. Zhu, X.Y. Chen, X.G. Liu, Tuning upconversion through energy migration in core-shell nanoparticles. Nat. Mater. 10, 968–973 (2011)
F. Pandozzi, F. Vetrone, J.C. Boyer, R. Naccache, J.A. Capobianco, A. Speghini, M. Bettinelli, A spectroscopic analysis of blue and ultraviolet upconverted emissions from Gd3Ga5O12:Tm3+, Yb3+ nanocrystals. J. Phys. Chem. B. 109, 17400–17405 (2005)
B.S. Cao, Y.Y. He, L. Zhang, B. Dong, Upconversion properties of Er3+–Yb3+: NaYF4 phosphors with a wide range of Yb3+ concentration. J. Lumin. 135, 128–132 (2013)
F. Vetrone, J.C. Boyer, J.A. Capobianco, A. Speghini, M. Bettinelli, Significance of Yb3+ concentration on the upconversion mechanisms in codoped Y2O3: Er3+, Yb3+ nanocrystals. J. Appl. Phys. 96, 661–667 (2004)
M. Pokhrel, A.K. Gangadharan, D.K. Sardar, High upconversion quantum yield at low pump threshold in Er3+/Yb3+ doped La2O2S phosphor. Mater. Lett. 99, 86–89 (2013)
G.Y. Chen, H.C. Liu, G. Somesfalean, H.J. Liang, Z.G. Zhang, Upconversion emission tuning from green to red in Yb3+/Ho3+-codoped NaYF4 nanocrystals by tridoping with Ce3+ ions. Nanotechnology. 20, 385704 (2009)
D.M. Yang, P.A. Ma, Z.Y. Hou, Z.Y. Cheng, C.X. Li, J. Lin, Current advances in lanthanide ion (Ln3+)-based upconversion nanomaterials for drug delivery. Chem. Soc. Rev. 44, 1416–1448 (2015)
X.M. Li, F. Zhang, D.Y. Zhao, Highly efficient lanthanide upconverting nanomaterials: progresses and challenges. Nano Today. 8, 643–676 (2013)
Y.P. Li, J.H. Zhang, Y.S. Luo, X. Zhang, Z.D. Hao, X.J. Wang, Color control and white light generation of upconversion luminescence by operating dopant concentrations and pump densities in Yb3+, Er3+ and Tm3+ tri-doped Lu2O3 nanocrystals. J. Mater. Chem. 21, 2895–2900 (2011)
X.M. Yin, H. Wang, M.M. Xing, Y. Fu, Y. Tian, T. Jiang, X.X. Luo, High color purity red emission of Y2Ti2O7: Yb3+, Er3+ under 1550 and 980 nm excitation. J. Lumin. 182, 183–188 (2017)
G.A. Kumar, M. Pokhrel, D.K. Sardar, Intense visible and near infrared upconversion in M2O2S: Er (M = Y, Gd, La) phosphor under 1550 nm excitation. Mater. Lett. 68, 395–398 (2012)
W.G. Yu, Y. Tian, M.M. Xing, Y. Fu, H. Zhang, X.X. Luo, Up-conversion luminescence of NaY(WO4)2: Yb, Er under 1550 and 980 nm excitation. Mater. Res. Bull. 80, 223–229 (2016)
G.T. Xiang, J.H. Zhang, Z.D. Hao, X. Zhang, Y.S. Luo, S.Z. Lü, H.F. Zhao, Transition to cubic phase and enhancement of green upconversion emission by adding La3+ ions in hexagonal NaLuF4: Yb3+/Er3+ nanocrystals. CrystEngComm 16, 2499–2507 (2014)
J. Wang, H.W. Song, W. Xu, B. Dong, S. Xu, B.T. Chen, W. Yu, S. Zhang, Phase transition, size control and color tuning of NaREF4:Yb3+, Er3+ (RE = Y, Lu) nanocrystals. Nanoscale 5, 3412–3420 (2013)
Q. Cheng, J.H. Sui, W. Cai, Enhanced upconversion emission in Yb3+ and Er3+ codoped NaGdF4 nanocrystals by introducing Li+ ions. Nanoscale 4, 779–784 (2012)
S. Wang, J. Feng, S.Y. Song, H.J. Zhang, Rare earth fluorides upconversion nanophosphors: from synthesis to applications in bioimaging. CrystEngComm 15, 7142–7151 (2013)
D.D. Li, Q.Y. Shao, Y. Dong, J.Q. Jiang, A facile synthesis of small-sized and monodisperse hexagonal NaYF4: Er3+,Yb3+ nanocrystals. Chem. Commun. 50, 15316–15318 (2014)
Q.Q. Su, S.Y. Han, X.J. Xie, H.M. Zhu, H.Y. Chen, C.K. Chen, R.S. Liu, X.Y. Chen, F. Wang, X.G. Liu, The effect of surface coating on energy migration-mediated upconversion. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134, 20849–20857 (2012)
G.Y. Chen, H.L. Qiu, R.W. Fan, S.W. Hao, S. Tan, C.H. Yang, G. Han, Lanthanide-doped ultrasmall yttrium fluoride nanoparticles with enhanced multicolor upconversion photoluminescence. J. Mater. Chem. 22, 20190–20196 (2012)
F. Vetrone, J.C. Boyer, J.A. Capobianco, A. Speghini, M. Bettinelli, Effect of Yb3+ codoping on the upconversion emission in nanocrystalline Y2O3: Er3+. J. Phys. Chem. B 107, 1107–1112 (2003)
H. Guo, Y.M. Qiao, Preparation, characterization, and strong upconversion of monodisperse Y2O3: Er3+, Yb3+ microspheres. Opt. Mater. 31, 583–589 (2009)
F. Vetrone, J.C. Boyer, J.A. Capobianco, A. Speghini, M. Bettinelli, Concentration-dependent near-infrared to visible upconversion in nanocrystalline and bulk Y2O3: Er3+. Chem. Mater. 15, 2737–2743 (2003)
F. Shi, J.S. Wang, X.S. Zhai, D. Zhao, W.P. Qin, Facile synthesis of β-NaLuF4: Yb/Tm hexagonal nanoplates with intense ultraviolet upconversion luminescence. CrystEngComm 13, 3782–3787 (2011)
X.Y. Li, S.S. Zhou, G.C. Jiang, W.T. Wei, Y.H. Chen, M. Yin, Blue upconversion of Tm3+ using Yb3+ as energy transfer bridge under 1532 nm excitation in Er3+, Yb3+,Tm3+ tri-doped CaMoO4. J. Rare Earths. 33, 475–479 (2015)
H. Wang, M.M. Xing, X.X. Luo, X.L. Zhou, Y. Fu, T. Jiang, Y. Peng, Y.B. Ma, X.L. Duan, Upconversion emission colour modulation of Y2O2S: Yb, Er under 1.55 µm and 980 nm excitation. J. Alloys Compd. 587, 344–348 (2014)
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61307118, 50472027).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, H., Zhang, X., Wang, N. et al. Solid-state reaction synthesis of β-NaREF4: Yb3+, Er3+ (RE = Y, Lu, La, Gd) phosphors and the upconversion luminescence property under 1550 nm excitation. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 29, 7531–7538 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-018-8745-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-018-8745-5