The optical properties of the regular, 3-nm-wide hexagonal channels of the mesoporous silica molecular sieve (MCM–41) containing C60are reported. Besides an intensive photoluminescence response at 642 nm from confined C60,a more intensive photoluminescence at 484 nm has been observed, which is considered to result from the passivation of silica zeolite with C60.Our studies indicate that both the properties of guest and host can be modified due to the interaction at the interface of them. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.