Sol-gel Processing of a Transparent Upconversion Luminescent Film with β-Na YF_4:Yb~(3+), Er~(3+) Microrods as Activator

β-Na YF4:Yb3+,Er3+ microrods were synthesized through hydrothermal methods. Polyethylene glycol with molecular weight of 6000 was used as surfactant. A series of transparent silica gel films with upconversion luminescence property was prepared through sol-gel method; the prepared β-Na YF4:Yb3+,Er3+ microrods were used as activator. The silica gel films show strong upconversion emission under excitation of 980-nm laser beam.