Erbium Oxide Er2O3
Product Properties
Product: Erbium Oxide
Formula: Er2O3
Purity: 99.9999%(6N) ,99.999%(5N), 99.99%(4N),99.9%(3N) (Er2O3/REO)
CAS No.: 12061-16-4
Molecular Weight: 382.56
Density: 8.64 g/cm3
Melting point: 2344° C
Appearance: Pink powder
Specification of Erbium Oxide
Er2O3 /TREO (% min.) | 99.9999 | 99.999 | 99.99 | 99.9 | 99 |
TREO (% min.) | 99.5 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
Loss On Ignition (% max.) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Rare Earth Impurities | ppm max. | ppm max. | ppm max. | % max. | % max. |
Tb4O7/TREO Dy2O3/TREO Ho2O3/TREO Tm2O3/TREO Yb2O3/TREO Lu2O3/TREO Y2O3/TREO | 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.3 | 2 5 5 2 1 1 1 | 20 10 30 50 10 10 20 | 0.01 0.01 0.035 0.03 0.03 0.05 0.12 | 0.05 0.1 0.3 0.33 0.3 0.1 0.6 |
Non-Rare Earth Impurities | ppm max. | ppm max. | ppm max. | % max. | % max. |
Fe2O3 SiO2 CaO Cl- CoO NiO CuO | 1 10 10 50 2 2 2 | 2 10 30 50 2 2 2 | 5 30 50 200 5 5 5 | 0.003 0.01 0.22 0.03 | 0.005 0.02 0.02 0.051 |
Application of Erbium Oxide
- One of the most significant applications of erbium oxide is in the doping of optical fibers for telecommunications. Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) are critical components in fiber optic communication systems. They amplify light signals directly without the need to convert them into electrical signals, significantly increasing the range and efficiency of optical communication networks. Erbium oxide is preferred for its ability to efficiently absorb and emit photons at the wavelengths commonly used in fiber optic communications.
- Erbium oxide is used in the manufacture of solid-state lasers, such as Er:YAG (Erbium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet) lasers. These lasers operate at wavelengths that are particularly useful for medical applications, including skin resurfacing, dental procedures, and ophthalmology, due to their ability to be absorbed by water in biological tissues with minimal damage to surrounding areas.
- Erbium oxide is utilized in creating upconversion materials that can convert infrared light into visible light. This property is valuable in a variety of applications, including solar cells, where upconversion can improve the efficiency of photovoltaic devices by converting unusable infrared sunlight into wavelengths that can be more effectively converted into electricity. Additionally, upconversion materials are used in bioimaging and security printing.
- Due to its distinctive pink color when in oxide form, erbium oxide is used as a colorant in glasses and ceramics. It can produce a wide range of pink shades, from subtle to vivid, depending on the concentration and the materials with which it is mixed.