Preparation of Gd2O3:Yb,Er and Gd2O2S:Yb,Er infrared-to-visible conversion phosphor ultrafine particles using an emulsion liquid membrane system.

Upconverting phosphor fine particles (Gd2O3:Yb,Er and Gd2O2S:Yb,Er) have been prepared, using an emulsion liquid membrane (ELM, water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsion) system. The composite Gd-Yb-Er oxalate particles obtained in the ELM system were mainly 20-60 nm in size, together with a smaller amount of submicrometer-sized spherical particles. Nanometer-sized Gd2O3:Yb,Er and Gd2O2S:Yb,Er particles were obtained by calcination in air and in sulfur atmosphere, respectively, of the precursor oxalate particles prepared in the ELM system. Upconversion emissions (red and green) were obtained from the Gd2O3:Yb,Er and Gd2O2S:Yb,Er particles prepared in the ELM system under infrared excitation (lambdaex=980 nm) via a two-photon process. Upconversion phosphor fine particles, about 50 nm in diameter, may be applied to the luminescent reporter material for the detection of the targeted analyte in immunoassays or DNA assays.