Erbium is used for amplifiers in optical fibres and therefore is very important for the internet and the transcontinental data transfer. Erbium oxide can double the intensity of optical light under certain conditions and so allows the signal to travel long distances without fading. This is a good example of how a neglected and mostly unknown element can certainly become very popular for a single special qualification.
<p>Hi-Res Images of
</p>
Chemical Elements
CC BY 3.0
<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://images-of-elements.com/erbium.php">http://images-of-elements.com/erbium.php</a>