We report experimental results from an erbium‐doped gallium phosphide microdisk resonator pumped by a Ti‐sapphire laser at 980 nm. Fabrication and characterization of the microdisk resonator are discussed. Enhanced Er+3intra‐4f‐shell photoluminescence was observed in the microdisk resonator due to microcavity effect and compared to a thin film sample. At low pumping power intensity, the photoluminescence from erbium‐doped gallium phosphide microdisks is an order stronger than that from a thin film sample. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.