This paper considers the possibility of growth of dislocation free germanium single crystals. This is achieved by reducing the temperature gradients at the level of similar to K/cm and lower. Single germanium crystals 45-48 ram in diameter with a dislocation density of 10(2) cm(-2) were grown by a Low Thermal Gradient Czochralski technique (LTG CZ). (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.