The Eu2+ activated strontium aluminate codoped with Dy3+ (SAO-ED) was synthesized by a new sol-gel-microwave method. The effects of the microwave calcining temperature, constant calcining time, heating rate and cooling rate on the microstructure and luminescent properties of SAO-ED were systematically discussed in this article. Sol-gel-microwave synthesis of SAO-ED greatly decreased the calcining temperature and time, and did not form impurity phase (Sr3Al2O6) even at low temperature. The SAO-ED sample calcined in microwave oven at around 900 degrees C for 30 min (with heating rate 30 degrees C/min, cooling rate 20 degrees C/min) possesses a monoclinic SrAl2O4 single phase and good luminescence properties. The microstructure of SAO-ED was analyzed by XRD method. The luminescent properties were characterized by spectrometer (Konica Minolta LS-100) and spectrophotometer (F-4500 FL). (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.