germanium (Ge) embedded in silicon dioxide. The Ge (001) surface is functionalized using α-
lipoic acid (ALA), which can potentially be utilized for the immobilization of a wide range of
biomolecules. We present a detailed pH-dependence study to establish the effect of the
incubation pH value on the adsorption layer of the ALA molecules. A threshold pH value for
functionalization is identified, dividing the examined pH range into two regions. Below a pH …