Lanthanum-doped Calcium fluoride (CaF(2)) nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), BET surface area measurements, and Optical absorption techniques. The X-ray diffraction pattern showed the cubic phase of fluorite structure. The average crystallite size was found to be similar to 25 nm. The FTIR spectrum showed the presence of hydroxyl groups in the as prepared sample with two strong IR absorption bands at similar to 3400 and 1550 cm(-1). The morphological features studied by SEM revealed that nanoparticles were agglomerated. Surface area measurements showed porous nature of the nanoparticles. The optical absorption spectrum of gamma-irradiated samples showed a prominent absorption peak at similar to 385 nm and two weak ones at similar to 218 and 533 nm. The optical absorption was found to increase with increase in gamma-dose.