CdS0.8Se0.2 crystals doped with Cr2+ at a level of similar to 1.2 x 10(18) ions/cm(3) were grown by the self-seeded physical vapor transport technique in vertical configuration. The ternary compound was synthesized from a stoichiometric mixture of vacuum sublimed CdS and CdSe. The growth temperature was 950degreesC and it produced a single crystal free of cracks and precipitates. The absorption peak maximum for Cr2+ ion was found to be at 1.85 mum and its intensity was used to determine the dopant concentration and its axial distribution. The axial and radial uniformity of the S/Se ratio were determined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and found to be uniform throughout the ingot and practically identical to the composition of the source. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.