Abstract The un-doped and Eu3+ doped BaY2O4 phosphors were synthesized by the standard solid state reaction method, heated at 1200 °C temperature. The dopant ion concentration was taken as 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mol% to know the effect of dopant ion in the host material. The structure, morphology of the phosphors was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the distribution of the pure phase BaY2O4: Eu3+ particles after annealing at 1200 °C, and the shape was irregular with size of particle 0.2 μm to 0.4 μm. Luminescence properties of BaY2O4: Eu3+ phosphors are investigated by the excitation and emission spectroscopy at room temperature region. The excitation spectra monitored at 613 nm is composed of a broad band (200 – 300 nm) and a series of sharp peaks, at 395 nm and 467 nm, which are matching with the output wavelengths of nUV LED and blue LED chips. The main emission spectra under blue light excitation is 5D0→7F2 electric dipole transition of Eu3+ ion with a strong red light, so that the BaY2O4: Eu3+ phosphor may be a better candidate as red component for the generation of white LED.