Could this common semiconductor

Hyper-doped germanium shows superconductivity using standard semiconductor processes, opening a possible pathway for scalable quantum and cryogenic electronic applications.

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Researchers have demonstrated that hyper-doped Germanium (Ge), when processed with atomic-precision doping, can behave as a superconductor — a finding that may redefine how semiconductor manufacturers and quantum-device makers approach materials engineering.

The achievement was reported in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, where a team successfully produced epitaxial thin films of germanium, doped with Gallium (Ga), that enter a superconducting state at 3.5 kelvin.

Atomic-precision doping meets semiconductor manufacturing

Using state-of-the-art molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), researchers substituted a significant fraction of Ge atoms with Ga — reaching a hyper-doped concentration well beyond typical solubility limits. Notably, the Ga atoms occupy substitutional lattice sites, avoiding cluster formation. This atomic-scale uniformity ensures a defect-free crystal structure, which is critical for reliable superconducting behaviour.