Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) excitation and emission properties of Tb3+ ion doped silico-aluminate phosphor Ca1.5Y1.5Al3.5Si1.5O12:Tb3+ was studied. Upon excitation with vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and near UV light excitation, the phosphor showed strong green-emission peaked at 545 nm corresponding to the D-5(4) -> F-7(5) transition of Tb3+, and the highest PL intensity at 545 nm was found at a content of about 14 mol% Tb3+. The 4f-5d transition absorption of Tb3+ is in the range from 150 nm to 260 nm, and there is an energy transfer from the host to the rare earth ions. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images showed the particle size of the phosphor was less than 3 mu m. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.