GE

Germanium (Ge) is a chemical element with atomic number 32. It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table and is classified as a metalloid. Discovered in 1886 by Clemens Winkler in Freiberg, Germany, it was named after the country of its discovery.

In its elemental form, germanium is a solid at room temperature with a grayish-white, brittle appearance and a diamond-like crystal structure. It is a semiconductor with an energy gap of about 0.66 eV at room temperature, making it useful in electronic and infrared applications. Germanium forms compounds in oxidation states typically +2 and +4, and its chemistry mirrors that of silicon in many ways, though it is more reactive to certain oxidants and more prone to forming GeO2 on exposure to air.

Germanium is relatively abundant in the Earth's crust but does not occur free in nature. It is found in minerals such as germanite and in zinc ore deposits as a byproduct of refining zinc and, to a lesser extent, from coal and other mineral sources. Major producers in recent decades have included China, Russia, the United States, and Canada.

The element has played a pivotal role in the history of electronics. It was essential in the development of early transistors and diodes and remains important in certain high-purity crystal applications, such as infrared optics and detectors. Germanium is used in fiber-optic systems, infrared lenses, and some specialized solar cells and nuclear detectors, where its electronic and optical properties are advantageous.