Germanium films were sputtered onto fused quartz and self-substrates in a low-pressure thermionically supported discharge. Reflection electron diffraction and x-ray examination showed that over comparable temperature ranges the orientation of sputtered germanium films on fused quartz differed from that of evaporated films. Epitaxy was obesrved on self-substrates at 150 °C. Electrical characteristics of evaporated and sputtered films were strikingly similar despite wide variation in substrate material and temperature and in deposition rates.