Bremsstrahlung (continuous) x-rays

From MedPhysWiki

• Bremsstrahlung x-rays result from Coulomb interactions between the incident electron and the nuclei of the target material.

• During the Coulomb interaction between the incident electron and the nucleus, the incident electron is decelerated and loses part of its kinetic energy in the form of bremsstrahlung photons (radiative loss).

• Photons with energies ranging from 0 to the kinetic energy of the incident electron may be produced, resulting in a continuous bremsstrahlung spectrum. The energy lost by the electron is related to impact radius by which it approaches the nucleus.

• The bremsstrahlung spectrum produced in a given x-ray target depends on the kinetic energy of the incident electron as well as on the thickness and atomic number Z of the target.