[network_language_chooser]
Glasses with germanium content are permeable to infrared light, but block harmful UV radiation. Among the infrared-transmitting glasses, they are characterized by the lowest optical scattering and at the same time a particularly high refractive index. This combination makes germanium-containing glasses ideal for high-quality microscopes, wide-angle lenses as well as infrared and thermal lenses.
Lenses containing germanium are most commonly used in thermal imaging cameras, such as those used by the police, fire department, military and hunters. They also play an important role in construction technology: thermal imaging systems help to detect energy losses and plan sustainable, energy-efficient buildings.
Thermal lenses are also used in medicine, where they enable non-invasive diagnosis, and in the automotive industry, for example in driver assistance systems that make driving in the dark safer.
The modern Internet, with its high demands on data volume and speed, would be unthinkable without fiber optic cables. In order for this data to be transmitted over long distances with virtually no loss, the intensity and properties of the transported light waves must remain constant. To achieve this, the individual optical fibers that make up a fibre optic cable must be absolutely pure and carry the signal precisely from point A to point B.
Germanium plays a central role here: it increases the refractive index in the light-conducting core compared to the cladding and thus enables total reflection. As a result, the light remains efficiently in the core and enables fast, reliable and long-range data transmission.
Germanium plays a central role in the semiconductor industry as it has excellent electrical properties. As a semiconductor material, it enables the targeted control of electrical currents in components such as transistors and diodes. Components containing germanium benefit from the high electron mobility of the semimetal and therefore work faster and more efficiently, which is particularly important for high-frequency and high-performance circuits.
Germanium is used in SiGe semiconductors, particularly in combination with silicon, to improve conductivity and switching speed. Germanium also has a direct band gap, which means that it can absorb and emit light particularly efficiently. This property makes it ideal for photovoltaics, infrared detectors and other optoelectronic applications. Germanium thus enables the production of powerful, compact and energy-efficient semiconductor components that are indispensable in computers, smartphones, communication systems and solar cells.
Germanium dioxide is used as a catalyst in the production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET for short), which is used in the production of films, drinking bottles and other food packaging. The use of germanium improves the transparency and purity of the material and enables particularly uniform polymerization. This more uniform polymerization increases the heat resistance of PET, which further expands the range of applications.
In addition to germanium dioxide, antimony and titanium compounds are also used industrially. While antimony trioxide dominated for a long time, germanium dioxide is gaining in importance as it is chemically more stable and biologically more compatible and therefore leaves fewer residues in the end product.
In addition, germanium dioxide works at lower reaction temperatures, which reduces the energy requirements of PET production. These properties make it particularly suitable for applications where high material purity, optical quality and sustainability are required.
