Tb3+ and Sn2+ co-doped strontium phosphate glasses are prepared and their unique photoluminescence (PL) properties for deep UV excitation are investigated. With the co-doped Sn2+ ions, Tb3+ keeps the original PL behaviors under near UV excitation while its PL action for deep UV excitation is enhanced tremendously. PL emission and excitation spectra demonstrate the sensitization role of Sn2+ on the Tb3+ emissions for deep UV excitation that is associated with the strong deep UV absorption of Sn2+ for greatly enhancing the resonance of the Tb3+ excitation with the deep UV light source. The decay curves of Sn2+ and Tb3+ emissions for both singly doped and co-doped samples are single exponentially well fitted with almost the same emission lifetime (τ) values in the microsecond and millisecond time regimes, respectively, confirming that Sn2+ and Tb3+ act as an independent activator in the present phosphate glass matrix while an involved energy