"Rare earth ions" constitute a subset of "metal ions", this is a semantic question and has nothing to do with optical properties.
Hi, I'd be happy to explain the difference between metal ions and rare earth ions!
Metal Ions: Metal ions are atoms of metallic elements that have lost one or more electrons, resulting in a positive electrical charge. Metals are elements that are typically shiny, malleable, and good conductors of heat and electricity. When a metal atom loses electrons, it becomes a positively charged ion (cation). These metal cations can form chemical bonds with other ions or molecules to create compounds. Examples of common metal ions include sodium (Na+), iron (Fe2+ or Fe3+), and copper (Cu2+).
Rare Earth Ions: Rare earth ions, on the other hand, are specific types of metal ions that belong to a group of elements known as the "rare earth elements." Despite their name, these elements are not particularly rare in the Earth's crust, but they are often found in low concentrations and can be challenging to extract and separate from each other. Rare earth elements include elements like cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, and europium. Rare earth ions are formed when these elements lose electrons to become positively charged cations. These ions have unique electronic and optical properties, which make them valuable for various applications, including electronics, magnets, lasers, and phosphors.
metal ion is a type of atom compound that has an electric charge. Such atoms loose electron(s) very easily to form cations.The metal ions can be formed by any of the metals in the Periodic Table. The rare earth ions consists of ions of the lanthanide series.
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