Synthesis and photoluminescent properties of nanoerythrocyte-shaped ytterbium orthovanadate and erbium ion-doped ytterbium orthovanadate powders

Nanoerythrocyte-shaped ytterbium orthovanadate (YbVO 4 ) with substantially uniform size have been successfully synthesized by a simple and facile trisodium citrate-assisted hydrothermal method. The erythrocyte-shaped YbVO 4 nanocrystals with self-assembled spherical and biconcave structure have a diameter of ∼500 nm, which were characterized by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence. The luminescent properties of erbium ion-doped ytterbium orthovanadate nanocrystals with different morphologies by different complexing agents were different in the relative intensity under identical measurement conditions, which exhibited the interesting morphology-dependent optical properties. The different energy transfer mechanisms and photoluminescence intensities might be the result of the greatly reduced defect centers.