Ba0.65Sr0.35TiO3 (BST) thin films doped with Ho3+ were prepared on silicon substrates by a modified sol-gel technique. The microstructure of the BST films was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that 3 mol% Ho-doped BST has the largest grain size and surface root-mean square roughness. The thickness of the film was about 1.36 Pin. The Ho luminescence intensity reached a maximum value in the sample with 3 mol% H03+ ions concentration sintered at 700 degrees C. All the results showed that the BST: Ho3+ films may have potential use for photonic devices. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.