Thulium Oxide, also called Thulia, is an important dopant for silica-based fibre amplifiers, and also has specialized uses in ceramics, glass, phosphors, and lasers. Because the wavelength of Thulium-based lasers is very efficient for superficial ablation of tissue, with minimal coagulation depth in the air or in water. This makes Thulium lasers attractive for laser-based surgery. It can also be used in portable X-ray devices that have been bombarded in a nuclear reactor as a radiation source.
Thulium oxide (Tm2O3) is a pale green compound. Thulium oxide can be produced by burning thulium metal in air, or by the decomposition of oxoacid salts such as thulium nitrate. It is hygroscopic and absorbs water and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Due to the nature of Oxide compounds, Thulium oxide is not conductive to electricity. However, Thulium oxide has several applications in fuel cells and oxygen generation systems.
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