This article presents the synthesis and photoluminescence (PL) properties of Y2Zr2O7:Tb3+. The Tb3+-doped Y2Zr2O7 zirconates were successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal process at 200 A degrees C for 20 h. X-ray diffractometer (XRD) patterns revealed that all of the products were phase-pure with the fluorite structure. PL study showed that the Y2Zr2O7:Tb3+ phosphors exhibited obvious PL emission peaks which located at 490, 545, 585, and 623 nm; the dominant emission located at 545 nm is assigned to D-5(4) -> F-7(5) transition. Furthermore, Tb3+-doping concentration strongly affected the PL properties, and the quenching concentration is 5 at.%.