Extremely straightforward room temperature co-precipitation method to synthesize cubic KYF4:Yb/Er up-conversion nanoparticles in deionized water-ethanol solution

International audienceThrough extremely facile RT(room temperature) co-precipitation method in mixed deionized water and ethanol solution, cubic KYF 4 :10%Yb/5%Er up-conversion nanoparticles with excellent emission intensity and desirable fluorescence lifetime after annealing under 974 nm pulsed laser excitation have been successfully synthesized. The X-ray powder diffraction pattern has been refined by profile fit in order to obtain accurate lattice parameters. The mean crystallite size and microstrain have been calculated by Williamson-Hall method. Joint effect of crystallite size and microstrain on photoluminescence properties have been studied based on the obtained samples. Green-to-red ratios of the emission spectra and slopes of the emission intensity versus excitation laser power have been investigated. The fluorescence lifetimes of the present samples have also been reported. The extraordinarily facile synthesis route, in environment-friendly solvents, provides a novel proposal to remove some of the obstacles that hinder the up-conversion nanoparticles development