The photoluminescence (PL) characteristics of ordered macroporous europium-doped yttrium oxide (Y2O3:Eu3+) particles were investigated. The submicrometer particles were prepared by spray pyrolysis using a mixture of a yttrium and europium nitrate solution and colloidal polystyrene latex (PSL) particles as the precursor. The porous particles exhibited higher PL intensity, quantum efficiency, and red-emission properties than the non-porous particles due to their porous structures. Detailed PL analysis revealed that the porous particles have unique photophysical properties, such as a 4-nm blue-shift in the charge transfer band (CTB) wavelength, and a lower symmetry ratio of 2.7, which were not found in non-porous particles with approximately the same particle and crystallite sizes. (C) 2009 The Japan Society of Applied Physics