Au nanoparticles (NPs) attached beta-NaYF4 nanocrystals codoped with Gd3+-Yb3+-Tm3+ were synthesized by a facial solution method. The UV-vis-near-infrared absorption spectrum shows typical surface plasmon resonance band of Au NPs in addition to the characteristic absorption peaks of Yb3+ ion. X-ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction results indicate the existence of Au NPs. The transmission electron microscopic image reveals the formation of Au@NaYE4 nanostructures. Enhanced ultraviolet (UV) upconversion luminescence (UCL) was observed in the nanostructures under the excitation of 980-nm infrared laser. The largest enhancement factor was obtained as 76 for the I-6(J) -> S-8(7/2) emission of Gd3+ ions, which was much larger than those emission enhancement factors of Tm3+. It is for the first time to our knowledge that the emission enhancement of Gd3+ ions was obtained. Local field enhancement induced by Au NPs was found to be responsible for the UCL enhancement, which is the further experimental evidence of local field enhancement theory. Magnetic measurements of the Au@NaYF4 nanostructure indicated it would have potential application in magnetic resonance imaging. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.