Photoluminescence (PL) properties of Eu-doped ZnO (ZnO:Eu) grown by a sputtering-assisted metalorganic chemical vapor deposition technique were investigated. In PL measurements at 300K, the samples annealed at 600°C for 30min showed clear red-emission lines due to the intra-4f shell transition of 5 D 0 → 7 F J (J=0–4) in Eu 3+ . In photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra, the PL was observed under the high-energy excitation above the band-gap energy of ZnO (indirect excitation) and the low-energy excitation resonant to the energy levels of 7 F 0 – 5 D 3 and 7 F 0 – 5 D 2 transitions in Eu 3+ (direct excitation). The PL lifetime under the indirect excitation was shorter than that under the direct excitations. These PL properties revealed that the energy transfer from ZnO host to Eu 3+ was accompanied under indirect excitation.