Shape controllable synthesis and enhanced upconversion photoluminescence ofβ-NaGdF4:Yb^3+,Er^3+nanocrystals by introducing Mg(^2+)

Different concentrations of Mg^（2＋） -doped hexagonal phase NaGdF_4：Yb^（3＋）, Er^（3＋）nanocrystals（NCs） were synthesized by a modified solvothermal method. Successful codoping of Mg^（2＋）ions in upconversion nanoparticles（UCNPs） was supported by XRD, SEM, EDS, and PL analyses. The effects of Mg^（2＋）doping on the morphology and the intensity of the upconversion（UC） emission were discussed in detail. It turned out that with the concentration of Mg^（2＋）increasing, the morphology of the nanoparticles turn to change gradually and the UC emission was increasing gradually as well. Notably the UC fluorescence intensities of Er^（3＋）were gradually improved owing to the codoped Mg^（2＋）and then achieved a maximum level as the concentration of Mg^（2＋）ions was 60 mol% from the amendment of the crystal structure of β-NaGdF_4：Yb^（3＋）,Er^（3＋）nanoparticles. Moreover, the UC luminescence properties of the rare-earth（Yb3＋, Er^（3＋）） ions codoped NaGdF_4 nanocrystals were investigated in detail under 980-nm excitation.