Large-sized beta-FeSi2 substrates were successfully prepared for the first time from the silicide bulk crystal grown by the molten salt method. The structural, electrical and optical properties of the as-grown beta-FeSi2 bulk crystals were also investigated. The crystal is single phase beta-FeSi2, and polycrystalline with no preferable growth crystallographic orientations. It was also determined that the beta-FeSi2 shows a p-type conduction, and the hole concentration and the Hall mobility at room temperature were about 10(17) cm(-3) and 10 cm(2)-Vs, respectively. In addition, the PL emission around 0.8 eV was realized from the beta-FeSi2 bulk crystal. This simple vacuum-free growth technique of beta-FeSi2 and the large-sized substrate preparation procedure encourage us to develop future silicide-based electronics. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.