New or novel applications of rare earth materials

Full text:From second generation conductors made from REBa2 Cu3O7 high temperature superconductors to Er-YAG lasers for den-tal work, the range of actual or potential applications for rare earth based materials has been expanding rapidly. Yb doped glass has been locally cooled by shinning a laser beam on it. Films of CaF2:Eu placed in front of a solar cell convert UV-region sunlight into the visible region where the solar cell can efficiently convert it into electricity. H doping of Y or La films changes them from metallic to semiconducting and from transparent to reflecting. Cells based on yttria-stabilized zirconia have been tested for the production of O2 from CO2 the primary constituent of the Martian atmosphere. A sampling of significant new applications of rare earth materials will be presented with an emphasis on the role of the rare earth components