[en] The data on the interaction of infrared laser radiation with ℎω<< E_g and power density W, no higher than the thermal destruction threshold of low-resistivity p-CdZnTe crystals (4 ≤ ρ ≤ 25 Ω cm) are presented. It is shown that the laser-stimulated defects, until attaining a stable state, pass two nonequilibrium stages depending on the interaction time and W. During these stages, the crystal properties partially relax to the initial or the stable state, respectively. In the stable state, the optical transmittance (λ ≤ 20 μm) and resistivity attain values that satisfy the requirements to the CdZnTe substrates for the HgCdTe IR photodetectors. The laser-stimulated transformations in the lattice are considered using a model that attributes the generation of activated centers in a bulk and their migration to entrainment by free carriers in an electric field of the laser wave