Is Germanium Used In Solar Panels

Germanium is a rare semi metal and is used in semiconductors catalysis and optical apparatuses.

Is germanium used in solar panels.

It is also used in thermal imaging applications for military and fire fighting use. Germanium is combined with oxygen for use in camera lenses and microscopy. It is also used in the core of optical fiber cables. In fact the mars exploration rovers contain germanium in their solar cells.

Fiber optics are thin strands of glass that are bundled together and used to send signals. It is also used in airport screening and other applications to detect sources of radiation. It can be used in solar panels. It has a higher melting temperature for wider processing range a wider temperature range of operation and you get the added bonus of natural growth of silicon dioxide.

No germanium is not used in solar cells. But silicon is more abundant than germanium. Germanium substrates are used to form the base layer in multijunction solar cells which are the highest efficiency solar cells currently available according to the usgs. Scientists at the united states national renewable energy laboratory nrel and the korea advanced institute of science and technology have demonstrated a method of producing gallium arsenide.

Germanium is also used to make solar panels that help convert sunlight into energy and for fiber optics.