Transparent glass coatings incorporated with upconversion nanocrystals by laser cladding method

- Transparent nanocomposite coatings were successfully synthesized.
- Laser cladding method was adopted.
- The highly efficient upconversion luminescence can be observed clearly.

To develop β-NaYF4 as bulk luminescence material, transparent glass coatings incorporated with β-NaYF4:20%Yb3+,2%Er3+ nanocrystals were fabricated by laser cladding method for the first time. The composite films on quartz glasses were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which showed that β-NaYF4 nanocrystals were introduced into the borosilicate glass and formed to glass composites with highly efficient upconversion (UC) luminescence. It is highly promising to achieve the preparation of crystals-glass composites through this novel method.