In this work, the synthesis and photoluminescence response of HfO₂ doped with Eu³⁺ (HfO₂:Eu³⁺) are reported. The synthesis was carried out by the hydrothermal route of HfCl₄ and EuCl₃ .6H₂O with NH₄OH dissolved in deionized water. To perform the hydrolysis, the precursors were subjected to hydrothermal treatment at 120°C, under autogenously pressure at reaction times of 24, 40, 52 and 72 hours. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by mean of X- ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Samples excited with 395 nm radiation show photoluminescence emission lines corresponding to the electronic transitions ⁵D₀ → ⁷F_J (J = 0 → 4), characteristics of the Eu³⁺ ion. The photoluminescence emission intensity increases with the increasing of the reaction time, reaching a maximum at 72 hours. The excitation band peaked at 395 nm, makes this material an excellent candidate for applications in solid state white lamps.