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X RAY
Coolidge X-Ray Tube –

It consists of a highly evacuated glass tube containing cathode and target. The cathode
consists of a tungsten filament. The filament is coated with oxides of barium or strontium to
have an emission of electrons. The filament is surrounded by a molybdenum cylinder kept at
negative potential w.r.t. the target inclined at 45°. The target material is selected of high
atomic weight, high melting point and high thermal conductivity.
The filament is heated by passing the current through it with the help of high potential of

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order of 10 to 80 kV. Due to the application of high potential, electrons emitted (These
electrons have high amount of energy.) from
V
Lead
filaments gets accelerated and collide with the chamber

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Anode
target. C
Water

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When highly energetic electrons strike a metal T
target, electromagnetic radiation comes out. The

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F
wavelength of X-rays is of the order of 1 Å. Initially, Filament W
Target
nature of X-rays was not known. Later these X-rays Window X-rays

were identified as highly energetic photons.

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X-rays emission is the inverse of the photoelectric effect. In photoelectric effect, energy of
photon is converted into kinetic energy of electrons in X-rays production, kinetic energy of
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electron is converted into energy of photon (here, we neglect work function of the target
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because it is small).

Control of intensity of X-rays : Intensity means the number of X-ray photons. The intensity of X-rays
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emitted is directly proportional to the electrons emitted per second from the filament and this can be
increased by increasing the filament current. So
a

INTENSITY OF X-RAYS  FILAMENT CURRENT

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1r

Control of quality or penetration power of X-rays : Quality of X-rays implies the penetrating power of
X-rays, which can be controlled by varying the potential difference between the cathode and the
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target.

Properties of X-Rays –
(1) X-rays are invisible.
(2) X-rays travel in a straight line with speed of light.
(3) X-rays are chargeless, no deviation in electric field as well as magnetic field.
(4) X-rays can ionize the gas.
(5) X-rays do not pass through heavy metals and bones.
(6) X-rays affect photographic plates.
(7) X-rays are not emitted by hydrogen atom.

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(8) Lead is the best absorber of X-rays.

(9) X-rays are electromagnetic waves with wavelength range 0.1Å – 100Å.
(10)Lead is the best absorber of X-rays.

X-rays are classified in two types on the basis of penetration power.

Hard X-rays Soft X-rays

More penetration power Less penetration power

More frequency of the order of  1019 Hz Less frequency of the order of  1016 Hz

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Lesser wavelength range (0.1Å – 4Å) More wavelength range (4Å – 100Å)

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There is minimum wavelength 𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 below which no X-ray is emitted where 𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 is called as
cut off wavelength or threshold wavelength.

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The electrons accelerated by p.d. V has kinetic energy eV when it hits the target. As
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electrons enters the target, it loses its kinetic energy and comes to rest inside the metal.
Before stopping, electron makes several collisions with the atoms of target. At each
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collision, one of the following may occur.

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Continuous X-rays: The kinetic energy of the electrons is reduced. A part of kinetic energy is
converted into photon and another part in to heat. The electron makes another collision
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with reduced energy and so on. The wavelength on the X-ray and the energy of the photon
are related as
a
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ℎ𝑐
𝜆=
𝐸
1r

ℎ𝑐
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E can be 0 to eV and hence 𝜆 lies between 𝑒𝑉 to ∞ This explains the origin of continuous X-
rays and cut-off wavelength.
Cut off wavelength
ℎ𝑐
𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 = ; 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑉 = accelerating potential
𝑒𝑉

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Characteristic X-rays: Continuous X-rays is are due to knocking out of an inner electron
when accelerated electron collides with atom of target material.

Suppose an electron is knocked out from K-shell. A vacancy is created in the K-shell. To fill
this vacancy electrons, jump from other orbits. When such transition occurs, an energy
ℎ𝑐/Δ𝐸 is converted into a photon of wavelength. 𝜆 = ℎ𝑐/Δ𝐸 is converted into a photon of
wavelength 𝜆 = ℎ𝑐/Δ𝐸, X-rays emitted due to vacancy in K-shell are called KX-rays.

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gm
If vacancy is filled by L shell electron, 𝐾𝛼 𝑋 − 𝑟𝑎𝑦 is emitted and 𝜆𝐾 𝛼 = 𝐸
ℎ𝑐
𝐾 −𝐸𝐿
,
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ℎ𝑐
If vacancy is filled by M-shell electron, 𝐾𝛽 𝑋 − 𝑟𝑎𝑦 is emitted and 𝜆𝐾𝛽 = 𝐸 ,
𝐾 −𝐸𝑀

If vacancy is created in L-shell and filled by M-shell electron 𝐿𝛼 − 𝑋 − 𝑟𝑎𝑦 is emitted and
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ℎ𝑐
𝜆𝐿 𝛼 = 𝐸 and so on.
𝐿 −𝐸𝑀
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a nk
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1r
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ℎ𝑐 ℎ𝑐 ℎ𝑐
𝜆𝐾 𝛼 = , 𝜆𝐾𝛽 = , 𝜆𝑡 𝛼 =
𝐸𝐾 − 𝐸𝐿 𝐸𝐾 − 𝐸𝑀 𝐸𝐿 − 𝐸𝑀

The characteristic wavelength depends on target material.

1 1 1
= (𝑧 − 𝑏)2 ( 2 − 2 )
𝜆 𝑛1 𝑛2

Where : Z: atomic number of target atom

B : constant, due to screening effect
𝑏 = 1 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐾𝛼 − 𝑋 − 𝑟𝑎𝑦.

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Mosley's Law –

√𝜈 = 𝑎(𝑍 − 𝑏)
where  = Frequency of emitted line,
Z = Atomic number of target,
a = Proportionality constant,
b = Screening constant or Shielding constant.
(Z – b) = Effective atomic number
a and b doesn't depend on the nature of target.

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Absorption of X-Rays

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X-rays are absorbed when they incident on substance.
Intensity of emergent X-rays 𝐼 = 𝐼0 𝑒 −𝜇𝑥

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So intensity of absorbed X-rays 𝐼′ = 𝐼0 − 𝐼 = 𝐼0 (1 − 𝑒 −𝜇𝑥 )

gm
where
I0 Emergent X-
x = thickness of absorbing medium, rays
 = absorption coefficient
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I
Incident X-rays
𝜇 ∝ 𝜆3 ; (𝜆 = 𝑊𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑋 − 𝑟𝑎𝑦)
𝜇 ∝ 𝜈̄ 3 (𝜈 = 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑋 − 𝑟𝑎𝑦) x
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𝜇 ∝ 𝑍 4 (𝑍 = 𝐴𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑡)

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EX – 1 Find the maximum frequency of the X-Rays emitted by an X-ray tube operating at
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𝟑𝟎 𝒌𝑽
ℎ𝑐
𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 = ,
a

𝑒𝑉
1240 1240
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𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 = = = 41.4 × 10−3 𝑛𝑚

𝐸(𝑒𝑉) 30 × 103
1r

𝑐 3 × 108 3 × 108
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𝜐𝑚𝑎𝑥 = = = = 7.2 × 1018 𝐻𝑧

𝜆𝑚𝑖𝑛 41.4 × 0−3 𝑛𝑚 41.4 × 0−12

EX – 2 An X-ray tube operates at 20 kV. A particular electron loses 𝟓%of its kinetic energy
to emit an X-ray photon at the first collision. Find the wavelength corresponding to this
photon.
Kinetic energy of electron = 20 𝑘𝑒 𝑉

5% of this energy is converted to photon

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𝐸= × 20 = 1 𝑘𝑒 𝑉
100

1240
𝜆= 𝑛𝑚 = 1240 𝑛𝑚
1 × 103

EX – 3 The wavelength of the characteristic X-ray 𝑲𝜶 line emitted by a hydrogen like

element is 𝟎. 𝟑𝟐 Å. Calculate the wavelength of 𝑲𝜷 line emitted by the same element.

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We know that
1 1 1
= (𝑍 − 𝑏)2 𝑅 ( 2 − 2 )

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𝜆 𝑛1 𝑛2
1 1 1
For 𝐾𝛼 : 𝜆 = (𝑍 − 𝑏)2 𝑅 (12 − 22 )

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𝛼

gm
1 3
= (𝑍 − 𝑏)2 𝑅 ( )
𝜆𝛼 4
1 1 1
For 𝐾𝛽 : 𝜆 = (𝑍 − 𝑏)2 𝑅 (12 − 32 )
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𝛽

1 8
= (𝑍 − 𝑏)2 𝑅 ( )
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𝜆𝛽 9
𝜆𝛽 3/4 27
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= =
𝜆𝛼 8/9 32
𝜆𝛽 27
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=
0.32 32
a

𝜆𝛽 = 0.27 Å
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1r
00

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