YAlO3 (YAP) crystals with different Yb3+ concentration have been grown by Czochralski method and cooperative fluorescence of Yb3+ ions in YAP crystal was studied under 940-nm infrared (IR) LD excitation at room temperature. The Yb concentration dependence of absorption intensity of IR and charge transfer bands exhibit different features. The green emission band in the region of 480-520nm was assigned to the cooperative deexcitation of two Yb3+ ions. The remaining upconverted emission bands containing various sharp peaks associated with impurity ions were observed and discussed. Charge transfer luminescence of heavily doped 20at% Yb:YAP is strongly temperature dependent and no concentration quenching of the charge transfer luminescence was found through the investigation of different Yb levels samples. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.