Transparent glass coatings incorporated with upconversion nanocrystals by laser cladding method

Abstract To develop β-NaYF 4 as bulk luminescence material, transparent glass coatings incorporated with β-NaYF 4 :20%Yb 3+ ,2%Er 3+ nanocrystals were fabricated by laser cladding method for the first time. The composite films on quartz glasses were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which showed that β-NaYF 4 nanocrystals were introduced into the borosilicate glass and formed to glass composites with highly efficient upconversion (UC) luminescence. It is highly promising to achieve the preparation of crystals-glass composites through this novel method.