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Germanium Single Crystal Boule Source: Found, Trash Outside Crystal Growth Lab Purity: 99.9999% This Germanium boule was grown with a seed crystal by the Czochralski Process, where a seed crystal is inserted into a melt of high-purity metal, and slowly lifted and rotated at the same time. This results in only one single screw dislocation in the whole piece (if you do it right), and the creation of a single crystal. This boule is about 3cm thick, making it a gorgeous sample of ultra-high purity Germanium. |
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Germanium Polycrystalline Chunk Source: Found, Large Lab Cleanout Purity: 99.999% Another example of high-purity Germanium - this time in the form of a polycrystalline melt. The shape of the melt (half cylindrical with slight surface roundness) suggests that it's a zone-refined piece that was cooled slowly, resulting in large, beautiful crystals of Germanium. No impurities were found in an EDX spectrum of this sample, and if the piece is indeed zone-refined, the purity may well be higher than I think. |
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Germanium Infrared Lens Source: Spectroscopy Lab Cleanout Purity: 99.99% This is an optical-grade Germanium infrared lens. Goofing around with my homemade night vision camera allows me to see a heated stovetop coil through this lens. For a found piece of optics, it is in surprisingly good condition - the edge chips don't worry me a bit. |