The Yb3+:Y3NbO7 polycrystalline powder is fabricated by the solid-phase method using Li2SO4 as flux. The structure of Yb3+:Y3NbO7 is determined by Retvield fitting to X-ray powder diffraction. The photoluminescence spectra of the Yb3+:Y3NbO7 power show three peaks at 975, 1040 and 1083 nm. The absorption spectra has the peaks at 863, 913, 975 and 1040 nm. The Yb3+:Y3NbO7 has relatively strong crystal field with the group 2F7/2 state splitting value 1022 cm-1. Compared with Yb3+YAG, Yb3+:Y3NbO7 with the large absorption and emission spectra bands is advantageous for tunable and ultrafast pulse laser output and will become a new promising Yb laser material.