Indium antimonide (InSb) is a special one among 3–5 semiconductor crystalline compound due to its unique properties: the lowest melting point of these compounds, a narrow band gap, high carrier mobility and good structural perfection.  

It is a narrow-gap semiconductor material from the III-V group used in infrared detectors, including thermal imaging cameras, FLIR systems, infrared homing missile guidance systems, and in infrared astronomy.

According to literary data the diameter of 3–5 semiconductor single crystals grown nowadays is 4 to 6 inches. So far up to 75 mm indium antimonide single crystals have been grown in Russia. Indium antimonide is the element base for the widest field of solid state electronics, i.e., optoelectronics. Indium antimonide is used for the fabrication of 3–5 mm range linear photodetectors and photodetector arrays used as light-sensitive material in heat vision systems. Growth heat conditions have been selected and 100 mm indium antimonide single crystals have been grown using the modified two-stage Czochralski technique.