We have investigated the adsorption structures and thermal desorption behavior of C 2 H 4 on Ge(100) using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV). Ethylene molecules adsorb in two distinct bonding geometries: (i) on top of a single Ge-Ge dimer (on-top) and (ii) in a paired end-bridge between two neighboring Ge dimers within the same dimer row (paired end-bridge). Real-time STM images taken during the exposure of C 2 H 4 to Ge(100) show that the on-top configuration dominates over the paired end-bridge confiugration. The TPD measurements show that chemisorbed C 2 H 4 desorbs from Ge(100) nondissociatively with two different desorption features, denoted as R (385 K) and (405 K). Desorption follows first-order kinetics for both states; the desorption energies of the R (385 K) and (405 K) states are 1.05 and 1.15 eV, respectively. These desorption energies are about 0.6 eV lower than those of ethylene on Si(100), indicating that the Ge-C bond is weaker than the Si-C bond. STM measurements carried out after annealing Ge surface at various temperatures indicate that the R and states correspond to the on-top and paired end-bridge configurations, respectively.