Erbium

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Erbium

Erbium is a chemical element with the symbol Er and atomic number 68.  A silvery-white solid metal when artificially isolated, natural erbium is always found in chemical combination with other elements. It is a lanthanide, a rare-earth element,Erbium's principal uses involve its pink-colored Er3+ ions, which have optical fluorescent properties particularly useful in certain laser applications. Erbium-doped glasses or crystals can be used as optical amplification media, where Er3+ ions are optically pumped at around 980 or 1480 nm and then radiate light at 1530 nm in stimulated emission. This process results in an unusually mechanically simple laser optical amplifier for signals transmitted by fiber optics.  The 1550 nm wavelength is especially important for optical communications because standard single mode optical fibers have minimal loss at this particular wavelength.ATT provides Erbium and compounds at a competitive price, including Erbium Acetate, Erbium Carbonate, Erbium Chloride, Erbium Fluoride, Erbium Hydroxide, Erbium Metal, Erbium Nitrate, Erbium Oxalate, Erbium Oxide, Erbium Sulfate.

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Erbium has application in glass coloring, as an amplifier in fiber optics, and in lasers for medical and dental use.  The ion has a very narrow absorption band, coloring erbium salts pink;  iIt is therefore used in eyeware and decorative glassware.  It can neutralize discoloring impurities such as ferric ions and produce a neutral gray shade and s used in a variety of glass products for this purpose.  It is particularly useful as an amplifier for fiber optic data transfer as it lases at the wavelength required to provide an efficient optical method of amplification, 1.55 microns.  Lasers based on Er:YAG are ideally suited for surgical applications because of its ability to deliver energy without thermal build-up in tissue.  Erbium is available as metal and compounds with purities from 99% to 99.999% (ACS grade to ultra-high purity);  metals in the form of foil, sputtering target, and rod, and compounds as submicron and nanopowder.

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