High-resistivity and p-type ZnSe-based II-VI semiconductor superlattices were prepared by molecular beam epitaxy on (100) GaAs or (100) InP substrates. The modulation-doped ZnSe-ZnTe superlattice by using antimony as a dopant has a hole concentration of 5 x 10(14) cm-3 . The absorption spectra of undoped ZnSe-ZnS superlattices were measured at temperatures ranging from 16 K to room temperature and three absorption peaks corresponding to 1E-1HH, 1E-1LH and 1E-3HH transitions were observed for the first time. Two absorption peaks corresponding to the transitions of the first heavy-hole and light-hole to the conduction band were also observed in the room temperature absorption spectra of ZnSe-ZnTe superlattices.