Lanthanide doped Y6O5F8/YF3 microcrystals: phase-tunable synthesis and bright white upconversion photoluminescence properties.

High-quality Y(6)O(5)F(8)/YF(3) microcrystals have been synthesised by using a hydrothermal and subsequent calcination route. Upon changing the initial solution pH value, the as-prepared microcrystal can be well tuned from YF(3) octahedron microcrystals to YF(3) hollow spheres and finally to Y(6)O(5)F(8) microtubes. The as-obtained microcrystals have been characterised by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. When the Y(6)O(5)F(8):Ln(3+) microtubes are excited by a 980 nm continual wave laser diode, bright red, green, and blue room temperature upconversion PL emissions have been observed. A series of white light emissions have been obtained by precisely adjusting dopants concentration in Y(6)O(5)F(8) microtubes.