Applications:
Erbium is named after the Swedish town Ytterby where it was first discovered. It is fairly stable in air and does not oxidize
as rapidly as some of the other rare earth metals. Erbium when it is ionized fluoresces in a bright pink color. This property
makes it highly useful for imaging and optical applications.
Erbium is used in optics as doping agent in optical fibers. It enables the fiber to be optically pumped which acts as an amplifier
for signals passing through it. It is used in sunglasses and jewelry due to their sharp absorption spectra bands in visible,
ultraviolet and near infrared light. It is also used as a colorant for glass and porcelain. It provides the pink color in cubic zirconia.
