Yb3+ and Er3+ co-doped Y2Ce2O7 nanoparticles: synthesis and spectroscopic properties

Yb3+ and Er3+co-doped Y2Ce2O7 nanoparticles sintered at different temperatures were prepared by homogeneous co-precipitation method. The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicated that the particle sizes and morphologies of the samples were heavily influenced by the sintering temperature. As temperature increased, the particle sizes became gradually larger and more agglomerate. The emissions including green and red upconversion emissions were investigated under 980 nm excitation. The emission intensities of the samples also depended on the sintering temperature. Two photon processes were mainly responsible for green and red upconversion emissions.