Why Bremsstrahlung <20keV for Tungsten?

In summary, tungsten is commonly used in medical imaging and other industrial applications due to its high atomic number and density. However, for these purposes, the energy of bremsstrahlung radiation must be limited to below 20keV. This is because higher energy radiation can cause tissue damage and unwanted scattering, while also requiring more shielding for safety. Additionally, the use of tungsten as a target material allows for a more efficient production of low energy bremsstrahlung, making it a preferred choice for these applications.
  • #1
cemtu
99
7
TL;DR Summary
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??
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
You would need to have log scale rather than linear scale on the vertical axis
 
  • Like
Likes Astronuc and cemtu
  • #3
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.
 
  • Skeptical
Likes Motore
  • #4
cemtu said:
So the graph representation is false there.
False?
 
  • #6
  • Like
Likes Astronuc
  • #7
Those graphs need to be read "from right to left" if you wanna compare with the graph in the OP
 
  • Like
Likes cemtu
  • #9
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?
 
  • Like
Likes cemtu
  • #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 :(
 
  • Like
Likes Astronuc and cemtu
  • #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
 
  • Like
Likes cemtu
  • #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.
 
  • Like
Likes Astronuc

Why is Bremsstrahlung <20keV for Tungsten?

1. The majority of Bremsstrahlung radiation produced by Tungsten occurs at energies below 20keV due to the high atomic number of Tungsten. This results in a higher probability of interactions with electrons at lower energies.

What is the significance of Bremsstrahlung <20keV for Tungsten?

2. The lower energy Bremsstrahlung radiation from Tungsten is important for medical imaging applications such as X-ray imaging, where lower energy photons are more easily absorbed by the body tissues, providing better image contrast.

How does the atomic structure of Tungsten contribute to Bremsstrahlung <20keV?

3. The high atomic number of Tungsten (Z=74) results in strong interactions between incoming electrons and the nucleus, leading to the production of lower energy Bremsstrahlung radiation through electron deceleration.

Can Tungsten produce Bremsstrahlung radiation above 20keV?

4. While Tungsten can produce Bremsstrahlung radiation at energies above 20keV, the majority of the radiation is concentrated below this threshold due to the atomic structure of Tungsten and the interactions with incoming electrons.

How is the production of Bremsstrahlung <20keV for Tungsten utilized in practical applications?

5. The lower energy Bremsstrahlung radiation from Tungsten is commonly used in X-ray tubes for medical imaging, industrial radiography, and other applications where the penetration depth of the radiation needs to be controlled and optimized for specific purposes.

Similar threads

  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
1
Views
934
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
11
Views
1K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
7
Views
1K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
6
Views
1K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
16
Views
2K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • General Engineering
Replies
9
Views
2K
Back
Top