Germanium Ge

Ge, elemental germanium, diamond-cubic crystal structure (Fd3m)

Germanium is the element Ge, a semiconductor with a band gap of 0.66 eV at 300 K (EE Semi).

8 sources · Updated 2026-10-26 · CC BY 4.0

Evidence level

2 of 5

Lab-measured

Pass infrared light

1.8 to 23 µm

Bend light

4.0026

Act as a semiconductor

0.66 eV

Carry heat

58.62 W/(m·K)

Recipe, share of the weight

  • Ge 100%Germanium

Best for

Infrared optics from 1.8 to 23 µm (thermal-imaging lenses, ATR prisms) and substrates for triple-junction space solar cells

Weakest at

Temperature limit and supply: Crystran says germanium becomes opaque at all wavelengths a little above 350 K, and the USGS says supply runs through a few producers, China the leading one

Risk at a glance

  • People Low. Some reports flag reproductive and organ toxicity; the SDS…
  • If it fails High. Loss of transmission at high temperature
  • Corrosion Moderate. At red heat germanium reacts with oxygen in air to form germanium dioxide.

Quick facts: Ge

Key properties of Ge
PropertyValueBasis
Density5.33 g/cm³2 sourced values across conditions
Young's modulus103 GPa1 sourced value
Thermal conductivity58.6 W/(m·K)1 sourced value
Thermal expansion (CTE)5.8 to 6.1 ppm/K2 sourced values across conditions
Melting point936 to 937 °C2 sourced values across conditions
Specific heat310 J/(kg·K)1 sourced value

What is the density of Germanium?

Germanium has a density of 5.33 g/cm³. The range covers 2 sourced values across the tempers, forms and test conditions the sources report; room-temperature values are used where a source states a temperature.

What is the thermal conductivity of Germanium?

Germanium has a thermal conductivity of 58.6 W/(m·K). The source and test conditions are listed in the properties table on this page.

What is the coefficient of thermal expansion of Germanium?

Germanium has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 5.8 to 6.1 ppm/K. The range covers 2 sourced values across the tempers, forms and test conditions the sources report; room-temperature values are used where a source states a temperature.

What is the melting point of Germanium?

Germanium has a melting point of 936 to 937 °C. The range covers 2 sourced values across the tempers, forms and test conditions the sources report; room-temperature values are used where a source states a temperature.

What is the Young's modulus of Germanium?

Germanium has a Young's modulus of 103 GPa. The source and test conditions are listed in the properties table on this page.

What is Germanium used for?

Uses recorded in the sources include Infrared lenses and windows for thermal imaging; ATR prisms for infrared spectroscopy; Optical fibre glass.

Why it exists

Germanium combines a high refractive index with transmission from 1.8 to 23 µm and a 0.66 eV band gap, which suits infrared optics and space-cell substrates. The USGS says the United States relies on imports for more than half of the germanium it consumes.

Where it's used

Infrared optics

Lenses and windows for thermal imaging across the 8 to 14 micron band, and ATR prisms for spectroscopy (Crystran).

Fibre optics and space solar cells

The USGS lists fibre optics first among US end uses of germanium, ahead of infrared optics and semiconductors. Triple-junction space solar cells from Spectrolab and Emcore use germanium substrates.

Recipe

Ge, elemental germanium, diamond-cubic crystal structure (Fd3m)

Germanium is the element Ge (PubChem). Crystran says a small number of manufacturers in Belgium, the USA, China and Russia grow germanium by the Czochralski technique. The USGS says germanium is recovered from zinc concentrates, through a refinery that produces the dioxide and tetrachloride, and that its resources are associated with zinc and lead-zinc-copper sulfide ores and lignite coal deposits.

What Ge is made of
IngredientShare of the weightWhat it does
Germanium Ge 100% Element. Grown as a single crystal for optics and wafers, and supplied as germanium metal and germanium dioxide for other uses.

Weight shares are as printed in the sources.

What it can do

Pass infrared light

1.8 to 23 µm

measured

Crystran gives the transmission range as 1.8 to 23 µm.

Bend light

4.0026

measured

The refractive index is 4.0026 at 11 µm, high enough for a natural 50% beamsplitter without coatings (Crystran).

Act as a semiconductor

0.66 eV

measured

The band gap at 300 K is 0.66 eV (EE Semi), narrower than silicon's in the same table.

Carry heat

58.62 W/(m·K)

measured

Thermal conductivity is 58.62 W/(m·K) at 293 K (Crystran).

How it compares

Against silicon in the same EE Semi table at 300 K, germanium has a narrower band gap, a higher electron drift mobility, and a density more than twice silicon's. Its melting point is also lower than silicon's in that table. Germanium also becomes opaque at all wavelengths a little above 350 K (Crystran), a limit that the sources read here do not give for silicon.

The same measurements for each material, so you can compare them. Each row names the key condition under the value; the full conditions and methods are in the numbered notes under Technical details. Other materials are shown beside it; each was measured under its own conditions, so open its page before comparing closely. Compare every grade in the family.

Benchmarks
MeasurementGeSiSiGeAsB
Thermal behavior and safety
Melting point (semiconductor table)Value printed in a materials property table937 °C1415 °Cno data817 °C2075 °C
Melting point (optics data)936 °C21415 °Cno data817 °C2075 °C
Thermal conductivity58.62 W/(m·K)6150 W/(m·K)no data50 W m-1 K-127 W/(m·K)
Specific heat capacity310 J/(kg·K)9no datano datano datano data
Physical and electrical
DensityValue printed in a materials property table5.327 g/cm³2.328 g/cm³4.31 g/cm³5727 kg/m32.35 g/cm³
Density (optics data)5.33 g/cc12.328 g/cm³4.31 g/cm³5727 kg/m32.35 g/cm³
Intrinsic resistivityValue printed in a materials property table47 Ω·cm2.3×10^5 Ω·cmno datano datano data
Other measurements
Energy band gap at 300 KValue printed in a materials property table0.66 eV1.12 eVno datano datano data
Dielectric constant at 300 K16 -3no datano datano datano data
Dielectric constant at microwave frequency16.6 -4no datano datano datano data
Electron drift mobilityValue printed in a materials property table3900 cm²/(V·s)1500 cm²/(V·s)no datano datano data
Hole drift mobilityValue printed in a materials property table1900 cm²/(V·s)475 cm²/(V·s)no datano datano data
Electron affinityValue printed in a materials property table4 Vno datano datano datano data
Lattice constant5.646 Å50.5431 nmno data376 pmno data
Linear thermal expansion (table at 300 K)5.8 ppm/K7no datano datano data6 ppm/K
Linear thermal expansion (optics data)6.1 ppm/K8no datano datano data6 ppm/K
Young's modulus102.7 GPa10no datano data8 GPa428 GPa
Shear modulus67 GPa11no datano datano datano data
Bulk modulus77.2 GPa12no datano data22 GPa320 GPa
Poisson's ratio0.28 -13no datano datano datano data
Refractive index in the thermal infrared4.003 -14no datano datano datano data
Transmission range1.8 µm15no datano datano datano data

Why choose it, and why not

Good for

  • Thermal imaging optics: a lens or window material across the 8 to 14 micron thermal band.
  • Triple-junction space solar cells: germanium is the substrate under the GaInP2/GaAs/Ge stack, with a 26.8% minimum average beginning-of-life efficiency for the Spectrolab cell.

Watch out for

  • Temperature: germanium becomes opaque at all wavelengths a little above 350 K.
  • Supply: the USGS puts China as the leading producer, with exports to the United States banned since December 2024.
  • Thermal conductivity is far below the metals, so germanium does not spread heat well.

Germanium is well documented for infrared optics and space-cell substrates. Its density, melting point, band gap and dielectric constant are printed in more than one source, and its infrared transmission range and refractive index come from a product data page that cites the handbook. Its weak points are the 350 K opacity limit and a supply chain the USGS describes as concentrated in China. Acid and alkali corrosion, solubility numbers and an occupational exposure limit were not found in this run.

Technical details

For scientists and researchers. Everything above comes from the record below: every number with its method, its conditions and its source.

Notes

The method, full conditions and any caveat for the numbered rows above.

Notes for the numbered rows
#MeasurementMethodConditionsCaveat
1Density (optics data)Value printed on a manufacturer product data pagetemperature not stated on the page—
2Melting point (optics data)Value printed on a manufacturer product data pagebasis melting point as printed, no pressure or purity stated—
3Dielectric constant at 300 KValue printed in a materials property table (no unit printed)temperature 300 K (table title)—
4Dielectric constant at microwave frequencyValue printed on a manufacturer product data pagefrequency 9.37 GHztemperature 300 K—
5Lattice constantValue printed in a materials property table, in angstroms as printedtemperature 300 K (table title)—
6Thermal conductivityValue printed on a manufacturer product data pagetemperature 293 K—
7Linear thermal expansion (table at 300 K)Value printed as 5.8 x 10 -6 (1/deg C) in a materials property table; the number is the same in ppm/K, so no scaling is neededtemperature 300 K (table title)unit in source 5.8 x 10 -6 per deg C—
8Linear thermal expansion (optics data)Value printed as 6.1 x 10-6/°C on a manufacturer product data page; the number is the same in ppm/K, so no scaling is neededtemperature 298 Kunit in source 6.1 x 10-6/°C—
9Specific heat capacityValue printed on a manufacturer product data pagetemperature not stated on the page—
10Young's modulusValue printed on a manufacturer product data pagetemperature not stated on the page—
11Shear modulusValue printed on a manufacturer product data pagetemperature not stated on the page—
12Bulk modulusValue printed on a manufacturer product data pagetemperature not stated on the page—
13Poisson's ratioValue printed on a manufacturer product data pagetemperature not stated on the page—
14Refractive index in the thermal infraredValue printed on a manufacturer product data page (references Palik and Li 1980)wavelength 11 µmtemperature not stated on the page—
15Transmission rangeValue printed on a manufacturer product data pagebasis range as printed on the product data page (footnote 1, Palik handbook)—

Corrosion and compatibility

What happens when it meets other materials and environments.

Corrosion and compatibility
EnvironmentConcernWhat happens
Ambient air at room temperature low A very thin layer of germanium dioxide protects the surface of germanium.1
Water low The oxide layer makes germanium more or less inert to water.2
Oxygen at red heat moderate At red heat germanium reacts with oxygen in air to form germanium dioxide.3
Corrosion details
#EnvironmentDetailsTest conditions
1 Ambient air at room temperature WebElements says the surface of lumps of germanium is protected by a very thin layer of germanium dioxide, GeO2, and that germanium is more reactive than silicon, but not by much. No thickness is given. basis Rating is the assistant's reading of a protective oxide, not a printed rating
2 Water WebElements says the oxide layer renders germanium more or less inert to water. Crystran lists germanium as insoluble in water (Solubility row), but no solubility number was read. basis Rating is the assistant's reading of the wording, not a printed rating
3 Oxygen at red heat WebElements says that at red heat, germanium reacts with oxygen in air to form germanium dioxide. Temperature and rate are not given. basis Rating is the assistant's reading; no rate or temperature number was read

Risks and side effects

Hazards to people, what happens when a cell overheats, and how the material is handled and stored.

For people

PubChem's aggregate for germanium mixes 186 'not classified' reports with notifications that carry H361 and H373, each at 27.3%. Check the supplier SDS before handling.

Aggregate hazard codes
PubChem's ECHA-based aggregate lists H228 (13.5%), H361 (27.3%), H373 (27.3%) and H412 (27%) across 319 company reports. No exposure limit was found, so none is given.

If it fails

Failure routes found in the sources are about temperature and supply.

Heat
Crystran says germanium becomes opaque at all wavelengths a little above 350 K, so warm optics lose their use.
Supply
The USGS reports that US imports of germanium metal fell 67% in 2025, after China's ban on exports to the United States.

Test details
The original wording and numbers from the sources, for readers who want them.

Failure risks

Failure risks
FailureTrigger and consequence
Loss of transmission at high temperaturehigh severityOperation a little above 350 KCrystran says germanium becomes opaque at all wavelengths a little above 350 K, as the band gap floods with thermal electrons. Its refractive index also changes rapidly with temperature.
Supply interruptionhigh severityChina's export licensing (August 2023) and its ban on exports to the United States (December 2024)USGS reports that US imports of germanium metal fell by 67% in 2025 to an estimated 7,000 kg, and that US net import reliance was above 50% in every year from 2021 to 2025e.

Handling and storage

  • Keep germanium optics below about 350 K. Above that the material becomes opaque at all wavelengths (Crystran).
  • PubChem's GHS entry is an aggregate of company reports, so check the supplier SDS for the form handled (powder, wafer or lens).

Supply and geography

How common the raw materials are and where they come from.

Germanium metal and germanium dioxide (fibre optics, infrared optics, semiconductors, solar-cell substrates and radiation detectors)

The USGS summary gives no abundance figure. It says resources are associated with certain zinc and lead-zinc-copper sulfide ores and lignite coal deposits, and that reserves data were not widely reported at a mine or country level.

Critical mineral lists
US: listed
Recycling
The USGS says much germanium removed in machining infrared optics is routinely recycled as new scrap, infrared lenses and windows from decommissioned military equipment are recycled, and germanium wafers used as solar-cell substrates are recycled.
Substitutes
USGS: silicon or gallium arsenide substitute for germanium in certain electronic applications, and chalcogenide glass has been used in infrared applications.