GaOOH nanorods were prepared by hydrolysis of Ga(NO3)(3)center dot xH(2)O by urea at similar to 100 degrees C in the presence of different amounts of lanthanide ions like Eu3+, Tb3+, and Dy3+. On the basis of X-ray diffraction and vibrational studies, it is confirmed that layered structure of GaOOH collapses even when very small amounts of lanthanide ions (1 atom % and more) are present in the reaction medium during the synthesis of GaOOH nanorods. The incorporation of lanthanide ions at the interlayer spacing of the GaOOH lattice, followed by its reaction with OH groups that connect the layers containing edge-shared GaO6 in GaOOH, is the reason for the collapse of the layered structure and associated amorphization. This leads to the formation of finely mixed hydroxides of lanthanide and gallium ions. These results are further confirmed by steady-state luminescence and excited-state lifetime measurements carried out on the samples. The morphology of the nanorods is maintained upon heat treatment at high temperatures like 500 and 900 degrees C, and during this process, the finely mixed lanthanide and gallium hydroxides facilitate diffusion of lanthanide ions into the Ga2O3 lattice, as revealed by the existence of strong energy transfer with an efficiency of more than 90% between the host and lanthanide ions.