In the study, the yttrium (Y)-doped vanadium oxide (VOx:Y) films used as the sensitive layers of microbolometers were deposited using a radio frequency magnetron co-sputtering system. The temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of the VOx:Y films was enhanced from -1.88%/°C to -2.85%/°C in comparison with that of the VOx films. To further improve the performance of microbolometers, the nanomesh antireflection layer was placed on the top surface of the microbolometers to reduce the infrared reflection. The responsivity, thermal time constant, thermal conductivity, absorptance, and detectivity of the VOx:Y microbolometers with nanomesh antireflection layer were 931.89 ± 48 kV/W, 4.48 ms, 6.19×10-8 W/K, 74.41% and 2.20×108 cmHz0.5W-1, respectively.