Terbium

Terbium (Tb) is a chemical element with the atomic number 65, part of the lanthanide series on the periodic table. It possesses a silvery-white appearance and is relatively stable in air compared to other rare-earth elements. Terbium has a melting point of approximately 1,356 degrees Celsius (2,473 degrees Fahrenheit) and a boiling point of about 3,230 degrees Celsius (5,846 degrees Fahrenheit). It is not particularly hard; it can be cut with a knife, similar to the other rare-earth metals.

Terbium metal has a density of 8.23 g/cc. With induction metlting, QSAM can make terbium metal rods and other shapes close-to-theoreticl value of its density. Its electrical conductivity is relatively low for a metal, as it is typical for lanthanides, but it has a high magnetic susceptibility. Terbium is not found free in nature but is extracted from minerals such as cerite, monazite, and bastnäsite in the form of its salts.

Applications of terbium are diverse, due to its unique properties. It is used in solid-state devices such as sensors and actuators, primarily because of its magnetostriction properties — the ability of a material to change shape under the influence of a magnetic field. Terbium is also a component in the production of green phosphors, utilized in color television tubes and fluorescent lamps, where it provides distinctive green emission. To obtain these tiny electronic components, sputtering is commonly used to deposit materials, followed by processes such as photolithography and etching to achieve the desired pattern. During the sputtering process, a refined terbium metal is used as the sputtering target.