Subject classification: 61.72. Ww; 78.55.Li Excitation and emission spectra of CaF 2 :Sr single crystals with various strontium concentrations have been investigated by the method of luminescence spectroscopy. A new emission band peaking at 4.1 eV has been found and attributed to the radiative decay of excitons trapped near the Sr 2þ impurity ions. The same spectral composition has the emission band arising from the recombination of conduction-band electrons with holes localised near Sr 2þ ions (V KA (Sr 2þ ) centres). A mechanism of exciton and hole trapping by homologous cation impurities of large ionic radii is suggested. It is concluded, that the doping of CaF 2 by strontium leads to the increase in radiation stability of this optical material.