Tm3+-doped and Yb3+, Er3+/Tm3+-codoped Lu2O3 rods of similar to 90 nm of diameter have been prepared through a soft hydrothermal procedure. A body/surface model has been proposed to describe the dynamics exhibited by fluorescence decays of H-3(4) and F-3(4) Tm3+ multiplets in Tm-Lu(2)o(3) nanorods as well as the new features of the near infrared to visible upconverted emissions of Er3+ and Tm3+ in Yb3+-codoped Lu2O3 nanorods. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved