Erbium (Er)

Erbium is a silvery-white solid metal that is stable in air and does not oxidize quickly.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Carl Gustaf Mosander discovered erbium in 1843, another of the four elements named after the Swedish village of Ytterby.
• Erbium ions amplify light at the 1,550-nanometer wavelength where optical fibers are most transparent.
• Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers boost signals in the long-haul fiber links that carry the internet, and its rose-pink oxide colors glass.

Specifications & Metrics

• NUM: 68
• SYMBOL: Er
• CATEGORY: Lanthanide