BaMoO4:Tb3+ powders were synthesized by the complex polymerization (CP) method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), Fourier transform infra-Red (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy as well as photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The results confirmed the presence of a crystalline scheelite-type phase in BaMoO4:TP3+ crystalline powers. Excitation spectra, lambda(em).= 543 nm revealed the predominance of a broad band of charge transfer that was ascribed to the absorption of [MoO4](2-) ionic tetragonal clusters. Emission spectra of BaMoO4:Tb3+ samples (lambda(ex.)= 294 nm) have a group of sharp emission bands (456-487 nm; 543-546 nm; 581-589 nm and 617-620 nm) assigned to the D-5(4) -> F-7(6), D-5(4) -> F-7(5), D-5(4) -> F-7(4) and D-5(4) -> F-7(3) transitions of Tb3+ ions, respectively. The samples show the exponential decay curves of D-5(4) -> F-7(5) transition, lambda(exc). = 294 nm and lambda(em) = 543 nm, where the greater decay time was evaluated as 1.07 ms for the BaMoO4:Tb3+ annealed at 900 degrees C. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.