K2YF5 crystals doped Sm3+ ions were synthesized under hydrothermal condition. The absorption, luminescence spectra, and lifetimes of K2YF5:Sm3+ were measured at room temperature. The results were analyzed using Judd-Ofelt (JO) theory giving the values of three. Omega(2), Omega(4), and Omega(6) intensity parameters. Using these JO parameters as well as from the emission, various radiative parameters such as transition probabilities (A(R)), radiative lifetime (tau(R)), calculated branching ratios (beta(R)), measured branching ratios (beta(mes)), and stimulated emission cross-sections (sigma(lambda p)) have been calculated for (4)G(5/2) excited level. Crown Copyright (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.