Ternary orthophosphates Ba 3 Y(PO 4 ) 3 doped with 0.05, 0.1, 0.15 and 0.2 Nd 3 + weight content were synthesized. The powder samples were separated according to their grain size and compared using spectroscopic data. Their IR, Raman, electron absorption and luminescence spectra were measured at room and liquid nitrogen temperature. The excited states of the Nd 3 + ions were characterized by means of decay curves of the life times. The possibility of the application of these materials as powder laser is discussed.