X-ray Generation

by Ron Kurtus (30 January 2008)

There are three major ways that x-rays are produced or generated. The most common is
the Bremsstrahlung process, where a high speed electron traveling in a material is slowed or
stopped by the forces of an atom it encounters, thus emitting an x-ray. Another method is
K-shell emission, where a high energy electron knocks an electron from an inner orbit in an
atom, and an x-ray is emitted with the replacement of that electron. The third method
occurs in a synchrotron, which is a subatomic particle accelerator that creates high intensity
x-rays used for nuclear studies.
Questions you may have include:

What is the Bremsstrahlung process?

What is K-shell emission?

What is the Synchrotron method?

This lesson will answer those questions. There is a mini-quiz near the end of the lesson.

Useful tools: Metric-English Conversion | Scientific Calculator.

Bremsstrahlung process
The most common method of creating or generating x-rays is by the Bremsstrahlung
process, where high energy electrons collide with a metal target, usually made of an alloy of
tungsten combined with rhenium or molybdenum. Bremsstrahlung is German for braking or
decelerating radiation. The phenomenon was discovered by Nikola Tesla around 1890.
(See the Biography of Nikola Tesla for more information on him.)
The way the Bremsstrahlung process works is that when a high energy electron hits or
passes near the nucleus of an atom such as tungsten, it makes a sudden deceleration and
change in direction. This loss of kinetic energy is transferred into radiation energy in the
form of x-rays.
Note the the dual nature of electromagnetic radiation states that an x-ray may also be a
high energy photon. In other words, a burst of radiation can be considered equivalent to
release of a photon.

K-shell emission
Another method to create x-rays is through K-shell emission. In the Bohr model of the
atom, the K-shell is the first shell or innermost shell of the atom. It is at the lowest energy
state among the atom's shells.
When a high energy electron is accelerated into a metal target, some electrons knock the Kshell electrons out of orbit. An electron from a higher energy orbit or shell will jump down to
replace the lost electron. Since the K-shell requires a lower state of energy, radiation energy
is given in the form of an x-ray photon.
The explanation for K-shell x-ray emission using the electron cloud model of the atom is
similar, although not as straightforward.
Since electrons are so very small compared with the nucleus of a moderately heavy metal
atom, the probability of collision of an incoming electron with a K-shell electron is very
small. This process is extremely inefficient in to producing a reasonable amount of x-rays.

Synchrotron radiation
A synchrotron is a large device used to study the effects of accelerating subatomic particles
through high-powered magnetic fields at speeds near the speed of light. When electrons
spiral around a magnetic field at high velocities, they give off radiation depending on their
velocity. At high enough velocities, the radiation is in the form of x-rays. This is called
synchrotron radiation.
Synchrotron radiation and a more simple cyclotron radiation are used as sources of x-rays
primarily for laboratory nuclear studies.

Caused by change in velocity

Since velocity is speed in a specific direction, circular motion represents at change in
velocity or acceleration (deceleration). When a charged particle such as an electron
decelerates, it gives off electromagnetic radiation equivalent to the loss in energy from the
deceleration. Thus, x-rays can be generated.

X-rays from Sun use same method

Since the Sun has extremely high energy electrons, as well as strong magnetic fields, it is a
source of natural x-rays by the same synchrotron effect. The energy of those x-rays is
greatly diminished by the time they get to the Earth.

Summary
The three major method to generate x-rays are the Bremsstrahlung process, K-shell
emission and synchrotron radiation. In Bremsstrahlung process, a high speed electron
traveling in a material is slowed or stopped by a nucleus, thus emitting an x-ray. In K-shell
emission, a high energy electron knocks an electron from an inner orbit in an atom, and an
x-ray is emitted with the replacement of that electron. In synchrotron radiation, electrons
emit x-rays while spinning in a magnetic field.

Mini-quiz to check your understanding

1. Why does an electron give off an x-ray photon in the Bremsstrahlung process?
The electron slows down and energy is transmitted into radiation
The electron speeds up when near the nucleus, thus giving off photons
Bremsstrahlung is German for x-ray radiation
2. Why is the K-shell x-ray radiation not used much?
Only a few atoms have K-shells
It is very inefficient
No one is sure why it never caught on
3. Why wouldn't a synchrotron be used to create x-rays in a dentist's office?
Most dentists don't know how to operate the device
Most dentists use synchrotrons for patients with a lot of cavities

A synchrotron is too large to use outside a laboratory facility