Y2-xGdxO3/Eu3+ thin films have been grown on Si (100) substrates using pulsed laser deposition. The films deposited at the different conditions show different microstructural and luminescent characteristics. The crystallinity, surface morphology, and photoluminescence (PL) of the films are highly dependent on the amount of Gd. The PL results obtained from Y2-xGdxO3/Eu3+ films grown under optimized conditions have indicated that Si (100) is a promising substrate for the growth of high-quality Y2-xGdxO3/EU3+ thin film phosphor. In particular, incorporation of Gd into the Y2O3 lattice can induce a remarkable increase of PL. The highest emission intensity was observed with Y1.35Gd0.60O3/Eu3+, whose brightness was a factor of 1.9 larger than that from Y2O3/EU3+ films. This phosphor is promising for applications in flat panel displays. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.