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High luminance Y₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce³⁺ (YAG:Ce) nanoparticles were prepared from urea-added nitrate aqueous precursor by flame-assisted spray pyrolysis (FASP). The addition of urea into nitrate precursor plays an important role in YAG:Ce nanoparticle formation and in improving its optical performance. The decomposition and combustion of urea in the flame zone provides additional heat to the particles, which coupled with the evolution of large volumes of gasses, contributes to nanoparticle formation. The as-prepared nanoparticles are hexagonal YAlO₃, that are nearly spherical, rough on the surface and dense—and they can be converted to YAG:Ce after being annealed at 1200°C for 4h. The heat-treated particles are single crystalline, smooth in surface and dense with an average size around 50nm. The optimum cerium-doping concentration of YAG:Ce nanoparticles is 4.0at.%, which exhibits quantum efficiency of …