How do silicon and germanium differ in their operating temperatures?

Silicon and germanium differ significantly in their ability to maintain semiconducting properties at elevated temperatures. Silicon is capable of operating at much higher temperatures than germanium, making it the preferred material for most modern electronic devices.12

Specifically, silicon diodes can function at temperatures up to 200 °C (400 °F), whereas germanium diodes are limited to operating below 85 °C (185 °F). This difference is a primary reason why silicon has largely supplanted germanium in device fabrication; germanium-based devices are prone to high leakage currents when exposed to even moderately elevated temperatures.12