Many photonic applications of II-VI semiconductors require thin films that are grown by various epitaxial techniques. However, whenever there is a need for a large interaction length with electromagnetic radiation, bulk crystals are required. Such crystals are also needed as substrates for epitaxy. This paper discusses bulk crystal growth technology of binary and ternary II-VI chalcogenides for such applications. We discuss purification and crystal growth using melt, solution, and vapor-phase techniques that we use for various cadmium and zinc chalcogenides as well as for cadmium-manganese-based semi-magnetic ternary compounds. Further, we discuss transition metal doping in II-VI semiconductor compounds and their applications for building photonic devices like remote laser vibrometers and room temperature operating mid-infrared solid-state lasers. We present our earlier work in these areas and our recent results. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.