Highly transparent YVO4:Eu thin films were deposited via dip coating of liquid nanoparticle dispersions on glass substrates. Annealing of the nanoparticle layers resulted in restructuring of the material into oriented crystalline films. The crystallinity was confirmed using powder X-ray diffraction. Film thickness was adjusted to 467 nm by multiple deposition. The resulting coatings show >99% absorbance for wavelength below 300 nm and >90% transmission in the visible spectral range. Under UV-light excitation a bright red photoluminescence with a quantum efficiency of 20% is observed. A planar, transparent dielectric barrier discharge lamp was constructed using YVO4:Eu coated glasses and transparent electrodes made from antimony-doped tin dioxide thin films. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.