X-ray Production and Interactions

These flashcards cover key concepts related to X-ray production and interactions at the target material in the X-ray tube.

What are the two main types of interactions during X-ray production?

Interactions at the target and interactions with matter.

What type of electrons strike the tungsten target at the anode to produce X-rays?

High-speed electrons from the cathode.

What is bremsstrahlung?

An interaction that occurs when an incident electron interacts with the nucleus of the target atoms, resulting in the production of X-rays.

What percentage of the photon beam is accounted for by bremsstrahlung interactions?

85%.

What happens to the majority of the incident electrons in the X-ray tube?

99.8% are converted to heat, less than 1% produce X-ray photons.

What condition must be met for an incident electron to ionize an inner shell electron in tungsten?

The incident electron must have energy greater than the binding energy of the inner shell electron (69.5 keV for tungsten).

What is the energy of characteristic X-rays based on?

The difference in energy between the inner and outer shell electrons.

How do bremsstrahlung and characteristic photons differ in their production process?

Bremsstrahlung involves slowing down of electrons near the nucleus, while characteristic photons result from the ejection of inner shell electrons and subsequent filling of vacancies by outer shell electrons.

What is the effect of distance from the nucleus on binding energy?

Binding energy decreases as the distance from the nucleus increases.

How is the X-ray emission spectrum characterized?

It is heterogeneous, with a variety of photon energies produced.