This looks like early research. Germanium held similar promise for decades, but, in practice, the advantages always seem to be outweighed by the disadvantages, for integrated circuits. Silicon is tough to beat.
I used to use high purity germanium detectors for gamma detection.
Germanium and silicon detectors are common depending on the wavelengths you’re interested in. There are other less common semi-conductors that are used as well depending on application.
Back until the last 20 years or so, it was necessary to lithium drift the crystal to create more continuity of “holes” in the crystal structure caused by flaws in growing the crystal. The disadvantage in the was the crystal always had to be kept at liquid nitrogen temperature.