Submicron-sized Dy3+: Y2O3 particles were successfully prepared via an urea homogeneous precipitation method, followed by a calcination at 800 degrees C. TG-DSC, FT-IR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), photoluminescence (PL), and photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra were used to characterize the prepared samples. The particles were spherical shape and monodispersed. More importantly, the spherical Y2O3 particles were found to have significant changes in size with varying dopant concentration of the Dy3+ ions, ranging approximately from 550 to 840 nm. The possible growth mechanism of the particles was proposed. Under 349 nm excitation, the crystalline powders exhibited blue and yellow emissions due to the F-4(9/2) -> H-6(15/2) and F-4(9/2) -> H-6(13/2) transitions of Dy3+ ions, respectively. It was further found that with proper Dy3+ doping concentration, the luminescence color hue was tuned close to the ideal white light with color coordinates of (0.33, 0.33). The submicron-sized Dy3+: Y2O3 phosphor is a promising candidate for the white light emitting diodes (WLEDs). (c) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.