A method to introduce the luminescent rare earth complex onto Si and indium tin oxide substrates by grafting with organosilane was presented. The organosilane, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, was used as molecular bridge to link 5-(7-bromoheptyl)-5'-metliyl-2,2'-bipyridine to the activated substrates. Europium complex; Europium tris(2-thenoyltrifluoroacetonato)(2,2-bipyridine), was then incorporated to the substrates via coordination reaction. The surface chemical composition and surface morphology of modified substrates were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy, respectively. The electrochemical characterization, fluorescence microscopy and photo luminescence analysis were utilized to confirm the Europium complex formation on the substrates. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.