The present invention relates to a new composition of luminescent matter in which lanthanide cations are incorporated into semiconductor nanocrystals, and methods for making this new composition of matter. The semiconductor nanocrystal structure serves as an antenna for allowing the excited electronic states of the semiconductor nanocrystals to sensitize lanthanide cation emission. In comparison to organic antenna types, semiconductor nanocrystals are able to protect lanthanide cations from quenching solvent molecules without supplying high energy vibrations, thereby resisting non-radiative deactivation of the lanthanide cation excited states. Semiconductor nanocrystals have several advantages as species that absorb and emit photons, namely, broad absorbance bands with high epsilon values and emission wavelengths that can be easily tuned through their size, which is controlled through synthesis conditions. Lanthanide cations also have several advantages—sharp emission bands and long luminescence lifetimes.