Aluminium oxide (Al(2)O(3)) films doped with CeCl(3), TbCl(3) and MnCl(2) were deposited at 300 degrees C with the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique. The films were analysed using the X-ray diffraction technique and they exhibited a very broad band without any indication of crystallinity, typical of amorphous materials. Sensitization of Tb(3+) and Mn(2+) ions by Ce(3+) ions gives rise to blue, green and red simultaneous emission when the film activated by such ions is excited with UV radiation. The overall efficiency of such energy transfer results to be about 85% upon excitation at 312 nm. Energy transfer from Ce(3+) to Tb(3+) ions through an electric dipole-quadrupole interaction mechanism appears to be more probable than the electric dipole-dipole one. A strong white light emission for the Al(2)O(3):Ce(3+)(1.3 at.%):Tb(3+)(0.2 at.%):Mn(2+)(0.3 at.%) film under UV excitation is observed. The high efficiency of energy transfer from Ce(3+) to Tb(3+) and Mn(2+) ions, resulting in cold white light emission (x= 0.30 and y= 0.32 chromaticity coordinates) makes the Ce(3+), Tb(3+) and Mn(2+) triply doped Al(2)O(3) film an interesting material for the design of efficient UV pumped phosphors for white light generation. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.