Bulk crystal growth of aluminum antimonide (AlSb) (50 mm diameter) in silica crucibles without any sticking problem has been demonstrated for the first time. The adhesion of AlSb melt to silica crucible could be eliminated by employing a LiCl-KCl encapsulation in conjunction with excess antimony in the melt. This paper also presents a new surface preparation recipe based on KOH treatment that has been found to result in superior AlSb surfaces necessary for making reliable ohmic contacts for electrical property measurements. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.