The Er3+-doped Al2O3 films were prepared by sintering Er-ion-implanted gamma-AlOOH xerogel films on SiO2/Si(100) substrates. In a cycle, the gamma-AlOOH xerogel films about 50 nm thick were dip-coated using aluminium isopropoxide-derived gamma-AlOOH sols; the Er ions were then implanted into the gamma-AlOOH xerogel films using an ion energy of 45 keV with different doses of 5 x 10(14) to 1 x 10(16) ions cm(-2). Er3+-doped Al2O3 films were formed after 1, 2, and 4 cycles of dip-coating and implantation at different sintering temperatures of 800-1200 degrees C. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra were observed with a main peak at 1.533 mu m and a side peak at 1.549 mu m for all the Er3+-doped Al2O3 films. The intensity of PL peak of the Er3+-doped Al2O3 film obtained after 4 cycles with 5 x 10(15) ions cm(-2) dose at every cycle and sintered at 900 degrees C for 5 h, increased by about 10 and 3 times compared with that of the films obtained after 1 and 2 cycles. At the same sintering temperature of 900 degrees C, the intensity of PL peak of the Er3+-doped Al2O3 films first increased with the increase of dose from 5 x 10(14) to 5 x 10(15) ions cm(-2) at every cycle, and then a saturation tendency was observed when the dose further was increased to 1 x 10(16) ions cm(-2). For the samples using 5 x 10(15) ions cm(-2) dose at every cycle, the PL intensity increased with the increase of sintering temperature from 800 to 1200 degrees C. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.