X-ray - Production and detection of X | 合法醫療器材資訊網

ProductionofX-rays...TherearethreecommonmechanismsfortheproductionofX-rays:theaccelerationofachargedparticle,atomictransitionsbetween ...

There are three common mechanisms for the production of X-rays: the acceleration of a charged particle, atomic transitions between discrete energy[1] levels, and the radioactive decay of some atomic nuclei. Each mechanism leads to a characteristic spectrum[2] of X-ray radiation.

In the theory of classical electromagnetism, accelerating electric charges emit electromagnetic waves. In the most common terrestrial source of X-rays, the X-ray tube[3], a beam of high-energy electrons impinges on a solid target. As the fast-moving electrons in the beam interact with the electrons and nuclei of the target atoms, they are repeatedly deflected and slowed. During this abrupt deceleration, the beam electrons emit bremsstrahlung[4] (German: “braking radiation”)—a continuous spectrum of electromagnetic radiation[5] with a peak inte...