A novel narrow band UV-B emitting phosphor-YPO_4：Sb~（3＋）,Gd~3

YPO_4 phosphors single-doped with Sb~（3＋） or Gd~（3＋） and co-doped with Sb~（3＋） and Gd~（3＋） were prepared by a solid-state reaction method. The phase purity, morphology, photoluminescence excitation and emission properties of the prepared phosphors were investigated. The results showed that Sb~（3＋） could sensitize Gd~（3＋） in the co-doped phosphors which made the phosphors excitable by short-wave ultraviolet（UV） at a wavelength between 220 and 260 nm. Under 253.7 nm excitation, the co-doped phosphors Y_（1–x–y） PO_4： Sb~（3＋）x,Gd~（3＋）y showed strong emission of Gd~（3＋） at a wavelength of 312 nm whose intensity changed with the doping concentrations of Gd~（3＋） and Sb~（3＋）. The optimized Y_（0.77）PO_4：Sb~（3＋）0.07,Gd~（3＋）0.16 phosphor showed an intensity comparable to commercial LaPO_4：Ce phosphor（UVB-315）, making it a potential candidate for mercury low-pressure discharge narrow-band UV-B emitting lamps.