Holmium is a chemical element with symbol Ho and atomic number 67. Part of the lanthanide series, holmium is a rare earth element. Holmium was discovered by Swedish chemist Per Theodor Cleve.
Three reasons Holmium stands out
- 1
Used in lasers and MRI machines.
- 2
Medical lasers using this element can destroy kidney stones and tumours without making a single surgical incision.
- 3
It is used alongside another rare earth metal to generate the world's strongest artificially produced magnetic fields.
The strongest atomic magnetic moment
Holmium atoms carry the largest magnetic moment of any element, a feature exploited in specialized magnetic-field research. Holmium-doped lasers emit wavelengths strongly absorbed by water, allowing surgeons to cut tissue or fragment kidney stones with tightly delivered pulses.