Yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) nano-sized powders were synthesized using the co-precipitation method with ammonium hydrogen carbonate as precipitant, nonionic, anionic and cationic surfactant as dispersant, respectively. The composition of YAG precursor, the phase formation process of YAG and the properties of the powders were investigated by means of IR, XRD and TEM. The results show that the anionic surfactant is beneficial for the dispersion of the resulting YAG powders. Highly crystalline, well-dispersed nano-sized YAG crystallites were obtained by calcining at 1000 degrees C for 2 h in the presence of the anionic surfactant. The average size of the particle is about 3 0 nm. Luminescence properties of the Nd-doped YAG powders prepared with surfactant and with no surfactant were also studied. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.