The rare earths play a unique role in science. These seventeen related elements afford a panoply of subtle variations deriving from the systematic development of their electronic configurations, allowing a test of theory with excellent resolution. In contrast they find widespread use in even the most mundane processes such as steel making, for polishing materials and gasoline cracking catalysts. In between are exotic uses such as TV screen phosphors, lasers, high strength permanent magnets and chemical probes.

This multi-volume handbook covers the entire rare earth field in an integrated...

Optical spectroscopy has been instrumental in the discovery of many lanthanide elements. In return, these elements have always played a prominent role in lighting devices and light conversion technologies (Auer mantles, incandescent lamps, lasers, cathode-ray and plasma displays). They are also presently used in highly sensitive luminescent bio-analyses and cell imaging. This volume of the Handbook on the Physics and Chemistry of Rare Earths is entirely devoted to the photophysical properties of these elements. It is dedicated to the late Professor William T (Bill) Carnall who has pioneered...

This volume of the Handbook illustrates the rich variety of topics covered by rare earth science. Three chapters are devoted to the description of solid state compounds: skutterudites (Chapter 211), rare earth -antimony systems (Chapter 212), and rare earth-manganese perovskites (Chapter 214). Two other reviews deal with solid state properties: one contribution includes information on existing thermodynamic data of lanthanide trihalides (Chapter 213) while the other one describes optical properties of rare earth compounds under pressure (Chapter 217). Finally, two chapters focus on solution...