The photoluminescent properties of a series of Tb3+-doped Na3GdP2O8 phosphors excitable by vacuum ultraviolet and ultraviolet light are reported. The host related absorption, f-f and f-d transitions of Gd3+ and Tb3+, and charge transfer of O2- -> Gd3+ and O2- -> Tb3+ are assigned. Under 147 nm light excitation, Na3GdP2O8:Tb3+ phosphors show efficient green emissions with a dominant peak at 545 nm. The optimal sample Na3Gd0.4Tb0.6P2O8 shows a shorter decay time and a comparable brightness when compared with the commercial Zn2SiO4:Mn2+ green phosphor. These results demonstrate that it is a potential candidate for plasma display panels application. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.