Near infrared light-controlled release of payloads from ultraviolet-sensitive (UV-sensitive) polymer hydrogels or nanocarriers is one of the most promising strategies for biotherapy. Here, we propose the concept of light activation of NaYF4:20%Yb,2%Tm nanocrystals (NCs). NaYF4:20%Yb,2%Tm NCs are synthesized by a solvothermal method. Effective upconversion luminescence from NaYF4:20%Yb,2%Tm NCs excited by a continuous wave (CW) 980 nm laser is obtained. The NaYF4:20%Yb,2%Tm NCs are then used as a laser gain medium and sandwiched between Al and quartz reflectors to form laser microcavities. UV and blue upconverted random lasing is obtained from the laser microcavities. Hence, we verify explicitly that the NaYF4:Yb,Tm NCs support UV and blue upconversion random lasing via a 980 nm nanosecond laser excitation. Our work provides what we believe is a new concept for precision and localized cancer therapy by external light excitation.

Generation of a cavity-enhanced nondegenerate narrow-band photon pair source is a potential way to realize a perfect photonic quantum interface for a hybrid quantum network. However, to ensure the high quality of the photon source, the pump laser for the narrow-band photon source should be generated in a special way. Here, we experimentally generate the blue 453 nm laser with a sum frequency generation process in a periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide. A 13 mW laser at 453 nm can be achieved with a low-power 880 nm laser and 935 nm laser input, and the internal conversion efficiency is 21.6% after calculation. The frequency of a 453 nm laser is stabilized by locking two pump lasers on one ultrastable optical cavity. The single pass process without employing cavity enhancement can ensure a good robustness of the whole system.