Why Bremsstrahlung <20keV for Tungsten?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of bremsstrahlung radiation produced by fast electrons in a tungsten anode of an X-ray tube, specifically addressing why bremsstrahlung radiation is not observed for energies below 20 keV. Participants explore various aspects of the radiation process, including the effects of electron interactions with atomic nuclei and the implications of graph representations of the emitted radiation spectrum.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants explain that bremsstrahlung radiation occurs when electrons lose energy due to interactions with atomic nuclei, with energy loss depending on factors such as the voltage of the X-ray tube and the atomic number of the target material.
  • One participant questions the absence of bremsstrahlung radiation below 20 keV, suggesting it may relate to the thermionic emission of electrons from the cathode.
  • Another participant emphasizes the need for a logarithmic scale on graphs to accurately represent the photon output, arguing that a linear scale misrepresents low output values.
  • Some participants discuss the absorption characteristics of tungsten, noting that around 20 keV, absorption increases rapidly, which may explain the observed photon output behavior.
  • There is a debate about whether all graphs should be in log scale to convey true comparisons of photon output across different energy levels.
  • One participant mentions that soft X-rays are re-absorbed before exiting the X-ray tube, suggesting the need for a thin window of low-Z material to allow these X-rays to escape.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the representation of graphs and the implications of bremsstrahlung radiation below 20 keV. There is no consensus on the necessity of log scales for accurate representation, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding the specific reasons for the lack of photon output at lower energies.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the absence of bremsstrahlung radiation below 20 keV may be influenced by factors such as the electron emission process and the absorption characteristics of tungsten, but these points remain speculative without definitive conclusions.

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TL;DR
Why isn't there Bremsstrahlung Radiation for Energy less than 20 keV for Tungsten?
enter image description here


https://www.researchgate.net/figure...-shown-for-a-tungsten-anode-with_fig4_8365056

Fast electrons produce X-rays in the anode of an X-ray tube through two different methods. The first one is the interaction of electrons with the nuclei of the target atom. As an electron passes near a nucleus, the positive charge of the nucleus affects the negative charge of the electron, attracting it towards itself and changing its direction.

This causes the electron to undergo decelerated motion and, consequently, lose energy. The kinetic energy lost by the electron is emitted as a photon. The radiation produced in this way is called "general radiation" or "bremsstrahlung."

Bremsstruhlung Radiation's Energy Magnitude depends on,

  1. the voltage of X-Ray Tube that accelerates and gives kinetic energy to electron
  2. how close does an electron passes near a nucleus
  3. atomic number (element type, Z) of that nucleus
So,
  • why isn't there Bremsstrahlung Radiation for Energy less than 20 keV for Tungsten?
  • Is it about the source of thermionic emission of the electron source, which bombards the cathode? So no start of bombardment(emission of the electron) before 20 keV from the anode to the cathode??
 
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You would need to have log scale rather than linear scale on the vertical axis
 
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malawi_glenn said:
You would need to have log scale rather than linear scale on the vertical axis
So the graph representation is false there.
 
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cemtu said:
So the graph representation is false there.
False?
 
Those graphs need to be read "from right to left" if you wanna compare with the graph in the OP
 
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cemtu said:
why does it seem false without a log scale(the relative photon output number is zero in my OP until about 20 keV)?
You must be joking right?
 
  • #10
You are still not addressing the question. Many overviews of bremsstrahlung unfortunately do not.
This:
http://www.sprawls.org/ppmi2/XRAYPRO/
and a few others give the reason, though:
If no filtration is present where the spectrum is essentially a triangle, the amount of radiation produced is approximately proportional to the KV squared.
Apparently around 20 keV is where the absorption of tungsten increases rapidly.
 
  • #11
malawi_glenn said:
You must be joking right?
No, I am geniune.
 
  • #12
snorkack said:
You are still not addressing the question. Many overviews of bremsstrahlung unfortunately do not.
This:
http://www.sprawls.org/ppmi2/XRAYPRO/
and a few others give the reason, though:

Apparently around 20 keV is where the absorption of tungsten increases rapidly.
yeah, but below 20 it seems that we have 0 relative photon output number I still don't get it.
 
  • #13
cemtu said:
No, I am geniune.
All graphs stould be in log scale in order to be true?
 
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  • #14
malawi_glenn said:
All graphs stould be in log scale in order to be true?
what? I mean why is that?
 
  • #15
cemtu said:
what? I mean why is that?
How else are we gonna compare 5 to 50000? In a linear scale, 5 would look like zero :(
 
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  • #16
malawi_glenn said:
How else are we gonna compare 5 to 50000? In a linear scale, 5 would look like zero :(
oh, thats it? I thought there is somehow more than that. Thank you!
 
  • #17
cemtu said:
oh, thats it? I thought there is somehow more than that. Thank you!
Even 100 would be within the thickness of the line representing the horizontal axis.

Why is ##e^{-x} = 0## for ##x>4##? I mean, look at the graph:
1686566362910.png
 
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  • #18
Soft X-rays are re-absorbed before they exit the X-ray tube. You would need a thin window of low-Z material (for example, beryllium) in order to allow the soft X-rays to come out.
 
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