Naturally occurring thulium (69Tm) is composed of one stable isotope, 169Tm (100% natural abundance). Thirty-nine radioisotopes have been characterized, with the most stable being 171Tm with a half-life of 1.92 years, 170Tm with a half-life of 128.6 days, 168Tm with a half-life of 93.1 days, and 167Tm with a half-life of 9.25 days. All of the remaining radioactive isotopes have half-lives that are less than 64 hours, and the majority of these have half-lives that are less than 2 minutes. This element also has 26 meta states, with the most stable being 164mTm (t1/2 5.1 minutes), 160mTm (t1/2 74.5 seconds) and 155mTm (t1/2 45 seconds).
The known isotopes of thulium range from 144Tm to 183Tm. The primary decay mode before the most abundant stable isotope, 169Tm, is electron capture, and the primary mode after is beta emission. The primary decay products before 169Tm are erbium isotopes, and the primary products after are ytterbium isotopes. All isotopes of thulium are either radioactive or, in the case of 169Tm, observationally stable, meaning that 169Tm is predicted to be radioactive but no actual decay has been observed.
|-id=Thulium-144| 144Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 75| 143.97621(43)#| 2.3(9) μs| p| 143Er| (10+)||-id=Thulium-145| 145Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 76| 144.97039(21)#| 3.17(20) μs| p| 144Er| (11/2−)||-id=Thulium-146| 146Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 77| 145.96666(22)#| 155(20) ms| p| 145Er| (1+)| |-id=Thulium-146m1| style="text-indent:1em" | 146m1Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 304(6) keV| 73(7) ms| p| 145Er| (5−)| |-id=Thulium-146m2| style="text-indent:1em" | 146m2Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 437(7) keV| 200(3) ms| p| 145Er| (10+)| |-id=Thulium-147| rowspan=2|147Tm| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 69| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 78| rowspan=2|146.9613799(73)| rowspan=2|0.58(3) s| β+ (85%)| 147Er| rowspan=2|11/2−| rowspan=2||-| p (15%)| 146Er|-id=Thulium-147m| style="text-indent:1em" | 147mTm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 62(5) keV| 360(40) μs| p| 146Er| 3/2+||-id=Thulium-148| 148Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 79| 147.958384(11)| 0.7(2) s| β+| 148Er| (10+)||-id=Thulium-149| rowspan=2|149Tm| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 69| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=2|148.95283(22)#| rowspan=2|0.9(2) s| β+ (99.74%)| 149Er| rowspan=2|11/2−| rowspan=2||-| β+, p (0.26%)| 148Ho|-id=Thulium-150| 150Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 81| 149.95009(21)#| 3# s| β+| 150Er| (1+)||-id=Thulium-150m1| rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | 150m1Tm[1] | rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 140(140)# keV| rowspan=2|2.20(6) s| β+ (98.9%)| 150Er| rowspan=2|(6−)| rowspan=2||-| β+, p (1.1%)| 149Ho|-id=Thulium-150m2| style="text-indent:1em" | 150m2Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 811(140)# keV| 5.2(3) ms| IT| 150m1Tm| 10+#||-id=Thulium-151| 151Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 82| 150.945494(21)| 4.17(11) s| β+| 151Er| (11/2−)||-id=Thulium-151m1| style="text-indent:1em" | 151m1Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 93(6) keV| 6.6(20) s| β+| 151Er| (1/2+)||-id=Thulium-151m2| style="text-indent:1em" | 151m2Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 2655.67(22) keV| 451(34) ns| IT| 151Tm| (27/2−)||-id=Thulium-152| 152Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 83| 151.944476(58)| 8.0(10) s| β+| 152Er| (2)−||-id=Thulium-152m1| style="text-indent:1em" | 152m1Tm[1] | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | −100(250) keV| 5.2(6) s| β+| 152Er| (9)+||-id=Thulium-152m2| style="text-indent:1em" | 152m2Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 2455(250) keV| 301(7) ns| IT| 152Tm| (17+)||-id=Thulium-153| rowspan=2|153Tm| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 69| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 84| rowspan=2|152.942058(13)| rowspan=2|1.48(1) s| α (91%)| 149Ho| rowspan=2|(11/2−)| rowspan=2||-| β+ (9%)| 153Er|-id=Thulium-153m| rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | 153mTm| rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 43.2(2) keV| rowspan=2|2.5(2) s| α (92%)| 149Ho| rowspan=2|(1/2+)| rowspan=2||-| β+ (8%)| 153Er|-id=Thulium-154| rowspan=2|154Tm| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 69| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 85| rowspan=2|153.941570(15)| rowspan=2|8.1(3) s| β+ (54%)| 154Er| rowspan=2|(2)−| rowspan=2||-| α (46%)| 150Ho|-id=Thulium-154m| rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | 154mTm[1] | rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 70(50) keV| rowspan=2|3.30(7) s| α (58%)| 150Ho| rowspan=2|(9)+| rowspan=2||-| β+ (42%)| 154Er|-id=Thulium-155| rowspan=2|155Tm| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 69| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 86| rowspan=2|154.939210(11)| rowspan=2|21.6(2) s| β+ (99.17%)| 155Er| rowspan=2|11/2−| rowspan=2||-| α (0.83%)| 151Ho|-id=Thulium-155m| style="text-indent:1em" | 155mTm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 41(6) keV| 45(4) s| β+| 155Er| 1/2+| |-id=Thulium-156| rowspan=2|156Tm| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 69| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 87| rowspan=2|155.938986(15)| rowspan=2|83.8(18) s| β+ (99.94%)| 156Er| rowspan=2|2−| rowspan=2||-| α (0.064%)| 152Er|-id=Thulium-156m| style="text-indent:1em" | 156mTm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 400(200)# keV| ~400 ns| IT| 156Tm| (11−)||-id=Thulium-157| rowspan=2|157Tm| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 69| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 88| rowspan=2|156.936973(30)| rowspan=2|3.63(9) min| β+| 157Er| rowspan=2|1/2+| rowspan=2||-| α (7.5%)| 153Er|-id=Thulium-157m| style="text-indent:1em" | 157mTm[1] | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 100(50)# keV| 1.6 s| | | 7/2−#||-id=Thulium-158| 158Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 89| 157.936980(27)| 3.98(6) min| β+| 158Er| 2−||-id=Thulium-158m| style="text-indent:1em" | 158mTm[1] | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 100(50)# keV| ~20 s||| 5−#||-id=Thulium-159| 159Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 90| 158.934975(30)| 9.13(16) min| β+| 159Er| 5/2+||-id=Thulium-160| 160Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 91| 159.935264(35)| 9.4(3) min| β+| 160Er| 1−||-id=Thulium-160m1| rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | 160m1Tm| rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 67(14) keV| rowspan=2|74.5(15) s| IT (85%)| 160Tm| rowspan=2|(5+)| rowspan=2||-| β+ (15%)| 160Er|-id=Thulium-160m2| style="text-indent:1em" | 160m2Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 215(52)# keV| ~200 ns| IT| 160Tm| (8)||-id=Thulium-161| 161Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 92| 160.933549(30)| 30.2(8) min| β+| 161Er| 7/2+||-id=Thulium-161m1| style="text-indent:1em" | 161m1Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 7.51(24) keV| 5# min||| (1/2+)||-id=Thulium-161m2| style="text-indent:1em" | 161m2Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 78.20(3) keV| 110(3) ns| IT| 161Tm| 7/2−||-id=Thulium-162| 162Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 93| 161.934001(28)| 21.70(19) min| β+| 162Er| 1−||-id=Thulium-162m| rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | 162mTm| rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 130(40) keV| rowspan=2|24.3(17) s| IT (81%)| 162Tm| rowspan=2|5+| rowspan=2||-| β+ (19%)| 162Er|-id=Thulium-163| 163Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 94| 162.9326583(59)| 1.810(5) h| β+| 163Er| 1/2+||-id=Thulium-163m| style="text-indent:1em" | 163mTm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 86.92(5) keV| 380(30) ns| IT| 163Tm| (7/2)−||-id=Thulium-164| rowspan=2|164Tm| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 69| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 95| rowspan=2|163.933538(27)| rowspan=2|2.0(1) min| EC (61%)| rowspan=2|164Er| rowspan=2|1+| rowspan=2||-| β+ (39%)|-id=Thulium-164m| rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | 164mTm| rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 20(12) keV| rowspan=2|5.1(1) min| IT (~80%)| 164Tm| rowspan=2|6−| rowspan=2||-| β+ (~20%)| 164Er|-id=Thulium-165| 165Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 96| 164.9324418(18)| 30.06(3) h| β+| 165Er| 1/2+||-id=Thulium-165m1| style="text-indent:1em" | 165m1Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 80.37(6) keV| 80(3) μs| IT| 165Tm| 7/2+||-id=Thulium-165m2| style="text-indent:1em" | 165m2Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 160.47(6) keV| 9.0(5) μs| IT| 165Tm| 7/2−||-id=Thulium-166| 166Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 97| 165.933562(12)| 7.70(3) h| β+| 166Er| 2+||-id=Thulium-166m1| style="text-indent:1em" | 166m1Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 122(7) keV| 348(21) ms| IT| 166Tm| (6−)||-id=Thulium-166m2| style="text-indent:1em" | 166m2Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 244(7) keV| 2(1) μs| IT| 166Tm| (6−)||-id=Thulium-167| 167Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 98| 166.9328572(14)| 9.25(2) d| EC| 167Er| 1/2+||-id=Thulium-167m1| style="text-indent:1em" | 167m1Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 179.480(19) keV| 1.16(6) μs| IT| 167Tm| 7/2+||-id=Thulium-167m2| style="text-indent:1em" | 167m2Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 292.820(20) keV| 0.9(1) μs| IT| 167Tm| 7/2−||-id=Thulium-168| rowspan=2|168Tm| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 69| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 99| rowspan=2|167.9341785(18)| rowspan=2|93.1(2) d| β+ (99.99%)| 168Er| rowspan=2|3+| rowspan=2||-| β− (0.010%)| 168Yb|-id=Thulium-169| 169Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 100| 168.93421896(79)| colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable[2] | 1/2+| 1.0000|-id=Thulium-169m| style="text-indent:1em" | 169mTm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 316.1463(1) keV| 659.9(23) ns| IT| 169Tm| 7/2+||-| rowspan=2|170Tm| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 69| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 101| rowspan=2|169.93580709(79)| rowspan=2|128.6(3) d| β− (99.87%)| 170Yb| rowspan=2|1−| rowspan=2||-| EC (0.131%)| 170Er|-id=Thulium-170m| style="text-indent:1em" | 170mTm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 183.197(4) keV| 4.12(13) μs| IT| 170Tm| 3+||-id=Thulium-171| 171Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 102| 170.9364352(10)| 1.92(1) y| β−| 171Yb| 1/2+||-id=Thulium-171m1| style="text-indent:1em" | 171m1Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 424.9557(15) keV| 2.60(2) μs| IT| 171Tm| 7/2−||-id=Thulium-171m2| style="text-indent:1em" | 171m2Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 1674.43(13) keV| 1.7(2) μs| IT| 171Tm| 19/2+||-id=Thulium-172| 172Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 103| 171.9384070(59)| 63.6(3) h| β−| 172Yb| 2−||-id=Thulium-172m| style="text-indent:1em" | 172mTm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 476.2(2) keV| 132(7) μs| IT| 172Tm| (6+)||-id=Thulium-173| 173Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 104| 172.9396066(47)| 8.24(8) h| β−| 173Yb| (1/2+)||-id=Thulium-173m1| style="text-indent:1em" | 173m1Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 317.73(20) keV| 10.7(17) μs| IT| 173Tm| 7/2−||-id=Thulium-173m2| style="text-indent:1em" | 173m2Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 1905.7(4) keV| 250(69) ns| IT| 173Tm| 19/2−||-id=Thulium-173m3| style="text-indent:1em" | 173m3Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 4047.9(5) keV| 121(28) ns| IT| 173Tm| 35/2−||-id=Thulium-174| 174Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 105| 173.942174(48)| 5.4(1) min| β−| 174Yb| 4−||-id=Thulium-174m1| rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | 174m1Tm| rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 252.4(7) keV| rowspan=2|2.29(1) s| IT (>98.5%)| 174Tm| rowspan=2|0+| rowspan=2||-| β− (<1.5%)| 174Yb|-id=Thulium-174m2| style="text-indent:1em" | 174m2Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 2091.7(3) keV| 106(7) μs| IT| 174Tm| 14−||-id=Thulium-175| 175Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 106| 174.943842(54)| 15.2(5) min| β−| 175Yb| (1/2)+||-id=Thulium-175m1| style="text-indent:1em" | 175m1Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 440.0(11) keV| 319(35) ns| IT| 175Tm| 7/2−||-id=Thulium-175m2| style="text-indent:1em" | 175m2Tm| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 1517.7(12) keV| 21(14) μs| IT| 175Tm| 23/2+||-id=Thulium-176| 176Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 107| 175.94700(11)| 1.85(3) min| β−| 176Yb| (4+)||-id=Thulium-177| 177Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 108| 176.94893(22)#| 95(7) s| β−| 177Yb| 1/2+#||-id=Thulium-177m| style="text-indent:1em" | 177mTm[1] | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 100(100)# keV| 77(11) s| β−| 177Yb| 7/2−#||-id=Thulium-178| 178Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 109| 177.95251(32)#| 10# s
[>300 ns]| | | 1−#||-id=Thulium-179| 179Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 110| 178.95502(43)#| 18# s
[>300 ns]| | | 1/2+#||-id=Thulium-180| 180Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 111| 179.95902(43)#| 3# s
[>300 ns]| | | ||-id=Thulium-181| 181Tm| style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 112| 180.96195(54)#| 7# s
[>300 ns]| | | 1/2+#||-id=Thulium-182| 182Tm[3] | style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 113| 181.96619(54)#| | | | ||-id=Thulium-183| 183Tm[3] | style="text-align:right" | 69| style="text-align:right" | 114| | | | | |
See main article: Thulium-170. Thulium-170 has a half-life of 128.6 days, decaying by β− decay about 99.87% of the time and electron capture the remaining 0.13% of the time. Due to its low-energy X-ray emissions, it has been proposed for radiotherapy[4] and as a source in a radiothermal generator.[5]