Methods of annealing Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te slices (56) in a mercury reflux chamber (32, 34) with a mercury reservoir (52) at the bottom and condensation regions at the top (62) is disclosed. The chamber is heated by a furnace (44) that creates an annealing region encompassing both the reservoir and a holder (46) for the Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te slices (56). In preferred embodiment methods reservoir (52) is heated to 270.degree. C. for two hours to sixty days. An annealing immediately after LPE growth by use of either mercury vapor from the melt or a separate reservoir is also disclosed.