We report the growth and characterization of Zn0.05Sr0.95S codoped with europium and samarium ions. The material was grown on alpha-MnS (rocksalt) buffer layer on (001)MgO substrate, using solid-source molecular-beam epitaxy technique. Characterization by reflection high-energy electron diffraction, atomic force microscopy, Rutherford back-scattering spectrometry and X-ray diffraction results provide clear evidence that a good stoichiometric film with crystalline single-phase rocksalt alpha-Zn0.05Sr0.95S can be obtained at high substrate temperature without sulfur deficiency. Intense infrared-stimulated luminescence (ISL) with a peak at 612nm is observed in alpha-Zn0.05Sr0.95S:Eu, Sm which is stimulated with infrared light after irradiation with visible light. The ISL result shows that the alpha-Zn0.05Sr0.95S:Eu and Sm can be developed for erasable and rewritable optical memory. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.