The II-VI compound semiconductor crystal cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) is very important in the field of room-temperature radiation detectors and medical imaging applications. In the present study, bulk CZT single crystal has been grown by (i) oscillatory Bridgman technique, (ii) from vapour phase using pyrolytic boron nitride ampoule in the Bridgman geometry, and (iii) by using a Pt tube used for the ampoule support as a cold finger. Several improvements were found in the thermal environments such as the effects of superheating and reduced growth velocity, as well as improvements in the grain size and zinc composition along the ingot. The compositional homogeneity and its current-voltage characteristic behaviour have been analysed using energy dispersive X-ray analysis and I-V method, respectively. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.