The incorporation of Nd3+ in CaF2 layers grown on Si and GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy is studied by photoluminescence spectroscopy. The results are in qualitative agreement with those obtained on CaF2:Nd homoepitaxial layers. A lower emission intensity (approximately 70%) at lambda = 1.0475-mu-m is attributed to residual stress and crystalline defects. Concentration quenching of photoluminescence appears at concentrations higher than 3.6 wt % Nd. The use of (Ca,Sr)F2 for lattice matching to GaAs leads to a significant inhomogeneous broadening of Nd3+ emissions due to disorder in the cationic sublattice.