Due to the luminescence by$ Er ^{ 3+}$ activator, Er-doped $LaPO_4$ powders can be applied for optical amplification materials. In this study, $LaPO_4$:Er nanoparticles were synthesized in solution system using a high-boiling coordinating solvent and their properties were investigated through various spectroscopic techniques. The nanoparticles were to take a single phase of monazite structure by a X-ray diffraction analysis and to have the 5-6 nm of particles size with narrow size distribution by a TEM. And it was confirmed by the EA and FT-IR analyses that the surfaces of nanoparticles are coordinated with the solvent molecules, which will possibly keep from agglomerating between LaPO$_4$:Er nanoparticles. In the emission spectrum of $LaPO_4$:Er nanoparticle at NIR region, on the other hand, it was measured that the emission intensity is very weak, which is due to the transition from $^4$$I_{(13/2)}$ to $^4$$I_{(15/2)}$ of $Er^{3+ }$ion. It was interpreted that the weak luminescence of $LaPO_4$:Er is originated from the hydroxyl groups adsorbed on the surfaces of the nanoparticles, because OH group acts as an efficient quencher for the $^4$$I_{(13/2)}$ longrightarrow $^4$$I_{(15/2)}$ emission of $Er^{3+}$ activator. But the co-doping of Yb$^{3+}$ as a sensitizer in this nanoparticle results in the increase of the emission intensity at 1539 nm due to the effective energy transfer from $Yb^{3+}$ to $Er^{3+}$ . In addition, the synthesized nanoparticles exhibited good dispersibility with some polymers and effective luminescence at NIR region.n.