Abstract. Fluorescence X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) technique was used to investigate the local structures of the doped Mn in the Mn_xGe_1-x dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) with different Mn content (x=0.07, 0.25, 0.36) prepared by magnetron cosputtering method. The results indicate that for the sample with low Mn content (x=0.07), the Mn atoms are mainly incorporated into the lattice of Ge, and locate at the substitutional sites of Ge atoms with the ratio of 75%. With the Mn content increasing to 0.25 or higher, only part of Mn atoms enter the lattice of Ge and the others exist in the form of the Mn₅Ge₃ phase whose content increases with the doped Mn concentration. It is found that, in the Mn_0.07Ge_0.93 the bond length of the first (Mn-Ge) shell is R_Mn-Ge = 2.50 Å, which is bigger than the first (Ge-Ge) shell distance in Ge by about 0.05 Å. These results imply that local structure expansion is induced by dilute Mn substituting into Ge sites.