UDC 535.37We discuss the possibility of optimizing the brightness of luminescence for phenylcarboxylates, naphthylcarboxylates, and indolylcarboxylates of europium and terbium and their adducts with 1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2′-bipyridine by modifying the ligands. We have studied the efficiency of luminescence and luminescence excitation. We consider the effect of blocking energy transfer from the ligands to the Eu 3+ and Tb 3+ ions by methylene (-CH 2 -) bridges dividing the π-electron system of the ligands into two parts and by the electronacceptor nitro group . We have analyzed the pathways for transfer and degradation of the excitation energy at 77 K and 300 K. From the phosphorescence spectra of gadolinium salts, we have determined the energies of the lowest excited triplet states of the ligands. We consider the effect of the relative positions of the triplet levels of the ligands and the excited levels of the Eu 3+ and Tb 3+ ions on the luminescence efficiency. We found channels for dissipation of the excitation energy via the ππ * and nπ * states of the aromatic system of the carboxylate and the NO 2 group.Key words: Eu 3+ ion, Tb 3+ ion, luminescence and luminescence excitation spectra, luminescence efficiency, aromatic carboxylates.Introduction. Many investigations of luminescent materials based on aromatic carboxylates of lanthanides have been connected with their use in analytical chemistry, biology, medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, etc. These compounds can also be used in organic electroluminescent cells as components forming the emitting layer of the device [1-3]. The major characteristic of luminophores for organic light-emitting diodes is their high brightness.In addition, the compounds should have high volatility or solubility, chemical stability, capability of forming amorphous layers, and in a number of cases they should have significant mobility of the injected charge carriers. An important task is to search for ways to control the brightness of the luminescence of the material and to optimize this brightness by varying fragments of the structure of the compound, changing the nature of the electronic system of the aromatic ligand. For this purpose, groups are introduced into the ligands which have different donor-acceptor capabilities, different sizes and different labilities; the position of the groups in the ligands is varied, and blocking bridging groups are incorporated into the ligands. Optical spectroscopy and modification of the ligands can be used to select compounds for the emitting layer of an electroluminescent device [4]. Searching for methods to improve the brightness should be accompanied by study of the processes for excitation of luminescence and energy transfer. The effect of the groups in the ligand on the luminescence spectra, the luminescence excitation spectra, and the luminescence efficiency have been previously discussed for pyridinecarboxylates [5], β-diketonates [6, 7], acylpyrazolonates [8], benzoates and 8-hydroxyquinolinates [9] as potential materials f...