Red-to-violet and near-infrared-to-green energy upconversion in LaF3:Er(3+)

When the (sup 4)F(sub 9/2) state was resonantly excited, emission was detected from the higher states (sup 4)S(sub 3/2)((sup 2)H(sub 11/2), (sup 4)G(sub 11/2), and (sup 2)P(sub 3/2) in addition to the resonant emission. Two- and three-photon processes were found to be responsible in populating the (sup 4)S(sub 3/2) and the (sup 2)P(sub 3/2) states, respectively. Energy upconversion efficiencies into the (sup 4)S(sub 3/2) and the (sup 2)P(sub 3/2) states were found to be 7.2 x 10(exp -3) and 1.4 x 10(exp -4), respectively. When the (sup 4)I(sub 9/2) state was resonantly excited we detected green emission from the (sup 4)S(sub 3/2)((sup 2)H(sub 11/2)). The energy upconversion efficiency of this process was found to be 1.4 x 10(exp -3).