Cerium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Y3Al5O12, YAG) microcrystals were grown using sol-gel technique. The samples were characterized by application of X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime measurements. The PL output, which is important for wavelength conversion in white light emitting diodes (LEDs), was studied as a function of Ce content and annealing temperature. XRD analysis evidenced that sintering of polycrystalline Y3Al5O12:Ce powders at 1000 degrees C results in the formation of monophasic garnet materials up to 10mol% of Ce doping; however, concentration quenching is observed in samples with the Cc content exceeding similar to 4% probably due to optical losses in the tail states of the imperfect lattice. PL output increased and the concentration quenching disappeared when a higher sintering temperature of 1300 C was used. However, in high Ce content (>4%) samples, the increase in sintering temperature was found to result in the formation of CeO2 phase accompanied by an uncontrolled bouncing of PL intensity in powders with similar Ce content. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.