Germanium (Ge)
Germainium's transmission from 1.8um to 14um make it a popular material for IR applications such as thermal imaging. Ge's high density compared to other infrared materials make it useful in imaging systems where ruggedness and durability is important, and its fluorite counterparts would suffer damage.
Whilst Germanium's high index of refraction make it of particular interest for lens and prism designs, components are often AR coated to avoid losses.
| Substance | Form | Diameter Range | Thickness Range | Transmission Range (µm) | Typical Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germanium (Ge) | Single or Poly Crystal | 10mm - 400mm | 3mm - 50mm | 1.8 - 14.00 | 46% (2 - 14µm) |