NaYF4doped

NaYF₄:doped refers to a family of inorganic nanomaterials based on sodium yttrium fluoride (NaYF₄) that have been doped with lanthanide ions or other transition metal ions to modify their optical, magnetic, or catalytic properties. These nanoparticles are widely studied for their applications in biomedical imaging, optoelectronics, and photonics due to their unique luminescent and photostable characteristics.

The host lattice of NaYF₄ is a hexagonal (β-phase) or cubic (α-phase) crystal structure, with the β-phase being more commonly used in doping applications. Doping involves substituting a small fraction of yttrium ions (Y³⁺) in the lattice with lanthanide ions such as erbium (Er³⁺), ytterbium (Yb³⁺), or neodymium (Nd³⁺), which introduce energy levels that enable upconversion luminescence (UCL). This process converts near-infrared (NIR) light into visible light, making these nanoparticles useful for deep-tissue imaging and bio-sensing.

Common dopant combinations include Yb³⁺/Er³⁺ and Yb³⁺/Tm³⁺, which exhibit distinct emission spectra in the visible range. For example, NaYF₄:Yb³⁺,Er³⁺ emits green (540 nm) and red (650 nm) light, while NaYF₄:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺ produces blue (475 nm) and near-infrared (800 nm) emission. The size, shape, and surface chemistry of these nanoparticles can be tuned to optimize their performance in specific applications, such as targeted drug delivery or photothermal therapy.

NaYF₄:doped nanoparticles are also explored for their magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast enhancement when doped with gadolinium (Gd³⁺) or manganese (Mn²⁺). Their biocompatibility, low toxicity, and tunable properties make them promising candidates for next-generation biomedical and optoelectronic technologies.