Nanopowder of Eu-doped Y 2O 3 (Y 2O 3:Eu) was synthesized by EDTA complexing sol–gel method at relatively low temperature using metal nitrate and EDTA as starting materials. The heat decompose mechanism of the precursor, formation process of Y 2O 3:Eu and the properties of the particles were investigated by thermogravimetric (TG)–differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM)/energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fluorescence Spectrophotometer, respectively. The results show that pure cubic phase Y 2O 3:Eu nanopowders with high purity and high homogeneity has been produced after the precursor calcinated at 600 °C for 2 h. The nanoparticles of the Y 2O 3:Eu are basically spherical in shape, about 30 and 70 nm in size at 600 and 1000 °C, respectively. The main emission peak of the sample is at 612 nm, resulting in a red emission. A clear red shift occurs in the excitation spectrum of Y 2O 3:Eu nanopowder prepared by the present work, and a clear blue shift occurs in the emission spectrum, compared with micronscale Y 2O 3:Eu phosphors prepared by a conventional method.