Germanium

In honour of Germany, where discoveries and isolations of many elements were made, the 32^nd element was named germanium. It is considered a relatively rare element, but its presence in some coals ensures reserves for years to come.

Ultra-pure germanium is a gray-white, brittle, crystalline material. Both pure germanium and its oxide are important in the glass industry due to their infrared transmission and high refractive indices. Germanium-containing glass is found in wide-angle camera lenses, microscope objectives, infrared spectroscopes, and other optical equipment.

In the metallurgical industry, germanium is employed for such purposes as increasing the ductility of beryllium or improving the chemical resistance of copper.

While gallium is of growing interest to researchers nowadays, germanium has ongoing important applications in the semiconductor industry. Germanium compounds are used in the production of electronic components such as diodes, transistors, and light and temperature sensors.