Liquid phase epitaxial growth of Te‐compensated GaSb results in a very low dopedn−GaSb epilayer (n≊1015cm−3). Be+‐implanted photodiodes produced from this material exhibit voltage breakdown values reaching 70 V. Generation‐recombination lifetimes in the space charge region around 10−8s have been deduced from these diode photoelectrical properties. The high value of the space charge width leads to an efficient redshift due to the electroabsorption. The variation of the absorption coefficient value is 1350 cm−1at 1.72 &mgr;m for a variation of the electric field maximum of 1.2×105V/cm. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.