A modified vapour phase contact-free method to grow homogeneous single crystals of II-VI compounds doped by transition metals is presented. Single crystals of ZnSe:Cr, ZnSe:Fe, ZnSe:Co, ZnSe:Ni, CdSe:Cr, ZnTe:Cr, ZnS:Fe and ZnS:Mn with doping level up to 10(19) cm(-3) have been grown. Efficient lasing at about 2.5 and 4 mu m with ZnSe:Cr and ZnSe:Fe crystals respectively has been achieved. Dependence of Fe2+ :ZnSe laser characteristics on temperature is presented in more detail. A possibility of using Cr2+:ZnSe laser in intracavity laser spectroscopy is demonstrated. (c) 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.