Thermal loading induced near-infrared broadband upconversion emission of Sm3+-doped β-NaYbF4 nano-phosphors

A non-closed hydrothermal synthetic processing is improved to synthesize Sm3+ doped β-NaYbF4 nano-phosphors at 98 °C without any high-temperature and high-pressure treatments as a final step. Novel green, red, and near-infrared broadband (799–873 nm) upconversion emissions of Sm3+-doped β-NaYbF4 nano-phosphors under 980 nm excitation are observed. These UC emissions can be assigned to the Sm3+ transitions of 4GJ, 4F3/2 and 6F11/2→6HJ. The half-width of 873 nm emission band is broadened nearly two-fold through the annealing treatment for nano-phosphors. The upconversion process in Yb3+–Sm3+ system is discussed based on energy transfer mechanisms.