Production of X-Rays

Abstract

This chapter serves as an introduction to production of standard x-rays as well as two types of radiation remotely related to x-rays: synchrotron radiation and Čerenkov radiation. Two categories of standard x-rays are known: characteristic (fluorescence) radiation produced by electronic transitions between electronic shells of absorber atoms and bremsstrahlung produced by inelastic Coulomb interactions between energetic light charged particles and nuclei of absorber atoms. The chapter addresses characteristic x-rays first, introducing the Siegbahn and IUPAC notations for designating atomic energy level transitions and defining fluorescence yield as well as Auger effect. Bremsstrahlung is discussed in detail next and the chapter concludes with a brief discussion of practical and theoretical aspects of synchrotron and Čerenkov radiations.