Erbium is a chemical element in the lanthanide series, with 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 on Earth. As such, it is a rare earth element which is associated with several other rare elements in the mineral gadolinite from Ytterby in Sweden, where yttrium, ytterbium, and terbium were discovered.
Three reasons Erbium stands out
- 1
Used in lasers and fiber optics.
- 2
Fibre-optic amplifiers doped with this element made the modern internet possible by boosting signals across long distances.
- 3
Its compounds give a delicate pink tint to glass, crystals, and certain gemstones.
The pink ion that strengthens the internet
Erbium ions can absorb pump-laser energy and release it at wavelengths used in fiber-optic communication. Erbium-doped amplifiers boost signals directly as light, avoiding repeated electrical conversion across oceans. The same ions give glass and crystals a characteristic delicate pink color.