Naturally occurring ytterbium (70Yb) is composed of seven stable isotopes:However, all seven of the isotopes are observationally stable, meaning that they are predicted to be radioactive but decay has not been observed yet. 168Yb, 170Yb–174Yb, and 176Yb, with 174Yb being the most abundant (31.90% natural abundance). 30 radioisotopes have been characterized, with the most stable being 169Yb with a half-life of 32.014 days, 175Yb with a half-life of 4.185 days, and 166Yb with a half-life of 56.7 hours. All of the remaining radioactive isotopes have half-lives that are less than 2 hours, with the majority of them being less than 20 minutes. This element also has 18 meta states, with the most stable being 169mYb (half-life 46 seconds).
The known isotopes of ytterbium range from 149Yb to 189Yb. The primary decay mode before the most abundant stable isotope, 174Yb is electron capture giving thulium isotopes; the primary mode after is beta emission giving lutetium isotopes. Of interest to modern quantum optics, the different ytterbium isotopes follow either Bose–Einstein statistics or Fermi–Dirac statistics, leading to different behavior in optical lattices.
List of isotopes
|-id=Ytterbium-147 |147Yb |style="text-align:right" | 70 |style="text-align:right" | 77 | | style="text-align:center" | 2026 | >310 ns
|-id=Ytterbium-148 |148Yb |style="text-align:right" | 70 |style="text-align:right" | 78 | 147.96755(43)# | style="text-align:center" | 2026 | 250# ms[>310 ns]
| 0+
|-id=Ytterbium-149 |rowspan=2| 149Yb |rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 70 |rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 79 |rowspan=2| 148.96422(32)# |rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 2001 |rowspan=2| 0.7(2) s | β+, p | 148Er |rowspan=2| (1/2+) |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2| |- | β+ (rare) | 149Tm |-id=Ytterbium-150 | 150Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 80 | 149.95831(32)# | style="text-align:center" | 2021 | 700# ms [>200 ns] | β+? | 150Tm | 0+
|-id=Ytterbium-150m | style="text-indent:1em" | 150mYb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 2872.0(20) keV | style="text-align:center" | 2026 | 620(50) ns |IT |150Yb | (10+)
|-id=Ytterbium-151 | rowspan=2|151Yb | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 70 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 81 | rowspan=2|150.95540(32) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1985 | rowspan=2|1.6(5) s | β+ | 151Tm | rowspan=2|(1/2+) | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β+, p (rare) | 150Er |-id=Ytterbium-151m1 | rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | 151m1Yb | rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 740(100)# keV | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1985 | rowspan=2|1.6(5) s | β+ | 151Tm | rowspan=2|(11/2−) | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β+, p (rare) | 150Er |-id=Ytterbium-151m2 | style="text-indent:1em" | 151m2Yb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 2630(141)# keV | style="text-align:center" | 1993 | 2.6(7) μs |IT |151Yb | 19/2−#
|-id=Ytterbium-151m3 | style="text-indent:1em" | 151m3Yb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 3287(141)# keV | style="text-align:center" | 1993 | 20(1) μs |IT |151Yb | 27/2−#
|-id=Ytterbium-152 |152Yb |style="text-align:right" | 70 |style="text-align:right" | 82 |151.95033(16) | style="text-align:center" | 1982 |3.03(6) s | β+ | 152Tm |0+
|-id=Ytterbium-152m | style="text-indent:1em" | 152mYb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 2744.5(10) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1982 | 30(1) μs |IT |152Yb | (10+)
|-id=Ytterbium-153 | rowspan=2|153Yb | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 70 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 83 | rowspan=2|152.94937(22)# | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1977 | rowspan=2|4.2(2) s | β+ | 153Tm | rowspan=2|7/2− | rowspan=2| |- | β+, p (0.008%) | 152Er |-id=Ytterbium-153m | style="text-indent:1em" | 153mYb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 2630(50)# keV | style="text-align:center" | 1989 | 15(1) μs |IT |153Yb | 27/2−
|-id=Ytterbium-154 | rowspan=2|154Yb | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 70 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 84 | rowspan=2|153.946396(19) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1964 | rowspan=2|0.409(2) s | α (92.6%) | 150Er | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β+ (7.4%) | 154Tm |-id=Ytterbium-155 | rowspan=2|155Yb | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 70 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 85 | rowspan=2|154.945783(18) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1964 | rowspan=2|1.793(20) s | α (89%) | 151Er | rowspan=2|(7/2−) | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β+ (11%) | 155Tm |-id=Ytterbium-156 | rowspan=2|156Yb | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 70 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 86 | rowspan=2|155.942817(10) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1970 | rowspan=2|26.1(7) s | β+ (90%) | 156Tm | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | α (10%) | 152Er |-id=Ytterbium-157 | rowspan=2|157Yb | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 70 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 87 | rowspan=2|156.942651(12) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1970 | rowspan=2|38.6(10) s | β+ | 157Tm | rowspan=2|7/2− | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | α (rare) | 153Er |-id=Ytterbium-158 | rowspan=2|158Yb | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 70 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 88 | rowspan=2|157.939871(9) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1967 | rowspan=2|1.49(13) min | β+ (99.99%) | 158Tm | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | α (.0021%) | 154Er |-id=Ytterbium-159 | 159Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 89 | 158.940060(19) | style="text-align:center" | 1975 | 1.67(9) min | β+ | 159Tm | 5/2−
|-id=Ytterbium-160 | 160Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 90 | 159.937559(6) | style="text-align:center" | 1967 | 4.8(2) min | β+ | 160Tm | 0+
|-id=Ytterbium-161 | 161Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 91 | 160.937912(16) | style="text-align:center" | 1974 | 4.2(2) min | β+ | 161Tm | 3/2−
|-id=Ytterbium-162 | 162Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 92 | 161.935779(16) | style="text-align:center" | 1963 | 18.87(19) min | β+ | 162Tm | 0+
|-id=Ytterbium-163 | 163Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 93 | 162.936345(16) | style="text-align:center" | 1967 | 11.05(35) min | β+ | 163Tm | 3/2−
|-id=Ytterbium-164 | 164Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 94 | 163.934501(16) | style="text-align:center" | 1960 | 75.8(17) min | EC | 164Tm | 0+
|-id=Ytterbium-165 | 165Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 95 | 164.935270(28) | style="text-align:center" | 1964 | 9.9(3) min | β+ | 165Tm | 5/2−
|-id=Ytterbium-165m | style="text-indent:1em" | 165mYb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 126.80(9) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1974 | 300(30) ns |IT |165Yb |9/2+
|-id=Ytterbium-166 | 166Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 96 | 165.933876(8) | style="text-align:center" | 1954 | 56.7(1) h | EC | 166Tm | 0+
|-id=Ytterbium-167 | 167Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 97 | 166.934954(4) | style="text-align:center" | 1954 | 17.5(2) min | β+ | 167Tm | 5/2−
|-id=Ytterbium-167m | style="text-indent:1em" | 167mYb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 571.548(22) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1976 | ~180 ns |IT |167Yb | 11/2−
|-id=Ytterbium-168 | 168Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 98 | 167.93389130(10) | style="text-align:center" | 1938 | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally StableBelieved to undergo α decay to 164Er or β+β+ decay to 168Er with a half-life over 130×1012 years | 0+ | 0.00123(3) | |-id=Ytterbium-169 | 169Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 99 | 168.93518421(19) | style="text-align:center" | 1946 | 32.014(5) d | EC | 169Tm | 7/2+
|-id=Ytterbium-169m | style="text-indent:1em" | 169mYb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 24.1999(16) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1960 | 46(2) s | IT | 169Yb | 1/2−
|-id=Ytterbium-170 | 170Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 100 | 169.934767243(11) | style="text-align:center" | 1938 | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally StableBelieved to undergo α decay to 166Er | 0+ | 0.02982(39) | |-id=Ytterbium-170m | style="text-indent:1em" | 170mYb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 1258.46(14) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1979 | 370(15) ns |IT |170Yb | 4−
|-id=Ytterbium-171 | 171Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 101 | 170.936331515(14) | style="text-align:center" | 1934 | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally StableBelieved to undergo α decay to 167Er | 1/2− | 0.14086(140) | |-id=Ytterbium-171m1 | style="text-indent:1em" | 171m1Yb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 95.282(2) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1974 | 5.25(24) ms | IT | 171Yb | 7/2+
|-id=Ytterbium-171m2 | style="text-indent:1em" | 171m2Yb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 122.416(2) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1968 | 265(20) ns |IT |171Yb | 5/2−
|-id=Ytterbium-172 | 172Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 102 | 171.936386654(15) | style="text-align:center" | 1934 | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally StableBelieved to undergo α decay to 168Er | 0+ | 0.21686(130) | |-id=Ytterbium-172m | style="text-indent:1em" | 172mYb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 1550.43(6) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1969 | 3.6(1) μs |IT |172Yb | 6−
|-id=Ytterbium-173 | 173Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 103 | 172.938216212(12) | style="text-align:center" | 1934 | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally StableBelieved to undergo α decay to 169Er | 5/2− | 0.16103(63) | |-id=Ytterbium-173m | style="text-indent:1em" | 173mYb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 398.9(5) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1963 | 2.9(1) μs |IT |173Yb | 1/2−
|-id=Ytterbium-174 | 174Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 104 | 173.938867546(12) | style="text-align:center" | 1934 | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally StableBelieved to undergo α decay to 170Er | 0+ | 0.32025(80) | |-id=Ytterbium-174m1 | style="text-indent:1em" | 174m1Yb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 1518.148(13) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1964 | 830(40) μs | IT | 174Yb | 6+
|-id=Ytterbium-174m2 | style="text-indent:1em" | 174m2Yb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 1765.2(5) keV | style="text-align:center" | 2005 | 256(11) ns | IT | 174Yb | 7−
|-id=Ytterbium-175 | 175Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 105 | 174.94128191(8) | style="text-align:center" | 1945 | 4.185(1) d | β− | 175Lu | 7/2−
|-id=Ytterbium-175m | style="text-indent:1em" | 175mYb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 514.866(4) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1960 | 68.2(3) ms |IT |175Yb | 1/2−
|-id=Ytterbium-176 | 176Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 106 | 175.942574706(16) | style="text-align:center" | 1934 | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally StableBelieved to undergo α decay to 172Er or β−β− decay to 176Hf with a half-life over 160×1015 years | 0+ | 0.12995(83) | |-id=Ytterbium-176m |rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | 176mYb |rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 1049.8(6) keV |rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1962 |rowspan=2|11.4(3) s |IT |176Yb |rowspan=2| 8− |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2| |- |β− (<10#%) |176Lu |-id=Ytterbium-177 | 177Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 107 | 176.94526385(24) | style="text-align:center" | 1945 | 1.911(3) h | β− | 177Lu | 9/2+
|-id=Ytterbium-177m | style="text-indent:1em" | 177mYb | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 331.5(3) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1960 | 6.41(2) s | IT | 177Yb | 1/2−
|-id=Ytterbium-178 | 178Yb | style="text-align:right" | 70 | style="text-align:right" | 108 | 177.946669(7) | style="text-align:center" | 1973 | 74(3) min | β− | 178Lu | 0+
|-id=Ytterbium-179 | 179Yb