About Antimonides

Antimonide Ion

Antimonides, also known as stibnides, are compounds of antimony with more electropositive elements. Many are flammable due to the reducing properties of the antimonide ion. Most commercially relevant antimonides are compounds of antimony with group II or III metals, and are semiconductors most often found in optoelectronic applications.

Notable antimonide semiconductors include gallium antimonide, indium antimonide, aluminum antimonide, and ternary alloys of these compounds with each other or with related semiconductors. Bismuth antimonide is notable for being the material in which 3D topological insulator properties were first observed. Hydrogen antimonide is also known as stibine, and is a toxic colorless gas analogous to arsine and phosphine. A number of relatively rare natural antimonide minerals exist, including the gold antimonide mineral aurostibite.