An evaporation-assisted templating method was developed for the synthesis of nanostructured europium-doped yttrium oxide (Y2O3:Eu3+, YEO) thin films. The method involves spin-coating a solution containing yttrium salt and block copolymer followed by thermal oxidation. Uniform films with controllable thickness ranging from 100 to 500 nm were obtained by tuning the composition of the precursor solution and the processing conditions. However, the method was not completely general as extremes in salt or polymer concentration triggered uncontrolled cracking and texturing of the film. The photoluminescence was proportional to both the thickness and surface roughness. Nanocrystalline, porous YEO particles produced using the evaporation method exhibited an intrinsic quantum efficiency approximately 25% of that of particles with micron-sized crystallites. (c) 2006 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc..