A method for deposition of fine phosphor powders onto flat substrates is proposed. Thin screens ( 0.06-1.2 mg/ cm(2) ) of submicrometer particles of Y2O3: Eu3+ were successfully obtained by the modified flame spray pyrolysis technique. Nebulized aqueous solutions of nitrates and chlorides of rare earth elements produced spherical phosphor particles in premixed air-propane flames. The optimum content of activator was 8.5 mol %. The highest intensity of photoluminescence in transmission mode was achieved for the samples 1.0-1.3 conventional phosphor layers thick, corresponding to approximately 0.5 mg/ cm(2) for the geometric mean particle size of 440 nm. Brightness of the synthesized phosphor nearly achieved that of the commercial phosphor. (c) 2007 The Electrochemical Society.