Thin films of the perovskite-type YAlO3:Gd3+-Pr3+ UV phosphor were deposited on a silica glass substrate, a perovskite-type SrTiO3 (001) single crystal substrate, and a LaAlO3 (001) single crystal substrate by a radiofrequency sputtering method. All thin films were noncrystalline in the as-deposited state, and crystallized after annealing at 1000 degrees C in air. Then, films on the silica glass and SrTiO3 substrates frequently showed cracks, in contrast with films on the LaAlO3 substrates which led to smooth surfaces. Such YAlO3:Gd3+-Pr3+ thin films on LaAlO3 substrates exhibited a high crystallinity and strong preferential (00l)-and (hh0)-orientations of the crystallites. Consequently, although UV emission at 314 nm from Gd3+ was observed under 217 nm excitation in all annealed films, the YAlO3:Gd3+-Pr3+/LaAlO3 film gave the most intense UV emission. It was concluded that fine luminescent YAlO3:Gd3+-Pr3+ thin films were obtained especially on LaAlO3 substrates because of the small thermal expansion difference and lattice mismatch between the YAlO3 phosphor and the LaAlO3 substrate. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.