Holmium - obscure, but an important surgical laser

Holmium has interesting magnetic properties and is an important part of precise surgical lasers known as the 'Swiss Army knife' of lasers, according to Prof Allan Backman from AUT, in ep 36 of Elemental.

The obscure element holmium is a lanthanoid with interesting magnetic properties.

Named after the city of Stockholm (from Holmia, the Latin name for Stockholm) holmium finds use as a MRI magnet and in Ho:YAG lasers, which are homium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet lasers.

These precise surgical lasers have been described as the Swiss Army knife of lasers, says Professor Allan Blackman from AUT.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details