Due to their special electronic configurations

rare earth elements have excellent optical properties

which make them a treasure of new luminescent materials. Recently

in the lighting

display

analysis

testing and other areas

rare earth luminescent materials have been widely used. The knowledge gained thus far has allowed the development of various rare earth luminescent materials

such as rare earth long after-glow phosphors and rare earth complexes luminescent materials. Herein two kinds of new rare earth luminescent materials are introduced. They are rare earth doped "quantum cutting" light-emitting materials with efficient down-conversion efficiency and rare earth doped "up-conversion" light-emitting nanocrystals with great potential in the biomedical field. The emitting mechanisms of the two luminescent materials are described

and the progress of preparation and application is highlighted.