This document discusses radioactivity and the production of x-rays. It begins by describing the structure of atoms and different types of radioactive decay such as alpha, beta, and gamma rays. It then discusses concepts like decay constant and half-life. Different modes of radioactive decay like alpha and beta particle decay are explained. The document also covers nuclear reactions, fission, fusion, and how x-rays are produced when high-speed electrons interact with matter. It provides details on the components of an x-ray tube and the physics behind bremsstrahlung and characteristic x-ray production.

1. RADIOACTIVITY
AND
PRODUCTION OF X-RAYS
Dr. S. Sachin,
Junior resident,
Dept. of Radiotherapy and Radiation Medicine,
SSH, BHU.

2. STRUCTURE OF AN ATOM
1) 𝑍
𝐴
𝑋
2) Nuclear stability
3) Atomic energy levels
4) Nuclear energy levels
5) Forces of nature:
strong nuclear,
electromagnetic,
weak nuclear,
gravitational.

3. NUCLEAR STABILITY

4. ATOMIC ENERGY LEVELS

5. NUCLEAR ENERGY LEVELS

6. FORCES OF NATURE

7. RADIOACTIVITY
• Phenomenon in which radiation is given off
by the nuclei of the elements
• can be particles, electromagnetic radiation,
or both
• α particles (helium nuclei)
• β particles (electrons)
• α particles are much heavier than β particles
• γ rays, which are similar to x-rays except for
their nuclear origin, have no charge,
unaffected by the magnetic field.

9. DECAY CONSTANT and HALF-LIFE
where λ is a constant of proportionality called the decay
constant
The number of disintegrations per unit time is referred to as the
activity (A) of a radioactive material.
SI unit for activity - becquerel (Bq), defined as one disintegration
per second (dps)
In radiation therapy, a more common unit is curie (Ci)
A = 𝐴0𝑒−λ𝑡
1 Ci = 3.7 × 1010
Bq

10. DECAY CONSTANT and HALF-LIFE
The half-life (T 1/2) of a
radioactive substance is defined
as the time required for either
the activity or the number of
radioactive atoms to decay to
half the initial value
The mean or average life (Ta) is
the average lifetime of a
radioactive atom before it
decays

11. RADIOACTIVE SERIES
• 118 elements - 92 (from Z = 1 to Z = 92) occur
naturally
• Elements with lower Z – stable, higher Z are
radioactive
• All elements with Z greater than 82 (lead) are
radioactive.
• Uranium series - 238U
• Actinium series - 235U
• Thorium series - 232Th
• All terminate at the stable isotopes of lead with
mass numbers 206, 207, and 208, respectively

12. RADIOACTIVE EQUILIBRIUM
TRANSIENT EQUILIBRIUM SECULAR EQUILIBRIUM

13. MODES OF RADIOACTIVE DECAY
• α – particle decay
• β – particle decay
• Positron
• Negatron
• Electron capture
• Internal conversion
• Isomeric transition

14. 𝛂 – PARTICLE DECAY
• Radioactive nuclides with very high atomic
numbers (greater than 82) decay with the
emission of an α particle.
• Particle composed of two protons and two
neutrons (helium nucleus)

15. 𝛃 – PARTICLE DECAY

16. NEGATRON VS POSITRON DECAY
NEGATRON DECAY POSITRON DECAY
Excess neutron turns into proton Excess proton turns into neutron
N/P ratio is higher than 1 N/P ratio is lower than 1
A same , Z+1 A same, Z-1
Anti-neutrino released Neutrino released

17. ANNIHILATION

18. ELECTRON CAPTURE

19. INTERNAL CONVERSION

20. ISOMERIC TRANSITION

21. NUCLEAR REACTIONS
• Bombarding heavier nuclides with lighter nuclides or particles.
• Examples of bombarding particles: α particles, protons, neutrons, deuterons, and
γ-ray photons.
• Photodisintegration
• Radioactive sources used in radiation therapy are produced by bombarding
nuclides in nuclear reactors or particle accelerators.

22. NUCLEAR FISSION - UNCONTROLLED

23. NUCLEAR FISSION - CONTROLLED

24. NUCLEAR FUSION

25. PRODUCTION OF X-RAYS

26. X-RAYS
• Discovered by Roentgen in 1895 while studying cathode rays (stream of electrons) in a gas
discharge tube.
• He observed that another type of radiation was produced (presumably by the interaction of
electrons with the glass walls of the tube) that could be detected outside the tube.
• Could penetrate opaque substances, produce fluorescence, blacken a photographic plate, and
ionize a gas.
• He named the new radiation x-rays.

27. X-RAY TUBE

28. X-RAY TUBE
• Glass envelope evacuated to high vacuum.
• One end is cathode (negative) and other an anode (positive)
• Cathode - tungsten filament - thermionic emission.
• Anode - thick copper rod, at the end of which is placed a tungsten target (high atomic number
and melting point)
• Secondary electrons produced from the target when being bombarded by the primary electron
beam are absorbed by copper, the tungsten shield absorbs the unwanted x-rays produced in the
copper.

29. X-RAY TUBE
• When high voltage is applied between anode and cathode, electrons emitted from the
filament are accelerated toward anode and achieve high velocities before striking the
target.
• X-rays are produced by the sudden deflection or acceleration of the electron caused by
the attractive force of the tungsten nucleus.
• The x-ray beam emerges through a thin glass window in the tube envelope.
• In some tubes, thin beryllium windows are used to reduce inherent filtration of the x-ray
beam.

30. ANODE AND FOCAL SPOT
• Optimum size of the target area from which the x-rays are emitted is called focal
spot

31. ANODE AND FOCAL SPOT
• Principle of line focus – apparent focal spot
• The apparent side a = A sin 𝜃, where A is side of the actual focal spot
• Therefore, by making 𝜃 small, side a can be reduced.
• In diagnostic radiology, θ are quite small (6 to 17 degrees) to produce small sharp
apparent focal spot.
• In therapy tubes, θ is larger (about 30 degrees) – larger apparent focal spot with
less heat

34. PHYSICS OF X-RAY PRODUCTION
• Bremsstrahlung x-
rays
• Characteristic x-rays

36. BREMSSTRAHLUNG X-RAYS
• Radiative “collision” (interaction) between a high-speed electron and a nucleus.
• The electron while passing near a nucleus may be deflected from its path (Coulomb forces of
attraction) and lose energy as bremsstrahlung
• Maxwell’s general theory of electromagnetic radiation: energy is propagated through space by
electromagnetic fields
• Efficiency is defined as the ratio of output energy emitted as x-rays to the input energy deposited
by electrons
• Efficiency = 9 × 10−10 ZV where V is tube voltage in volts

37. SPATIAL DISTIBUTION OF X-RAYS
• Direction of emission of
bremsstrahlung photons depends
on energy of incident electrons
• Transmission-type targets are used
in megavoltage x-ray tubes
(accelerators) in which the
electrons bombard the target from
one side and the x-ray beam is
obtained on the other side

38. CHARACTERISTIC X-RAYS
• An electron, with kinetic energy E0, may interact with the atoms of the target by ejecting an
orbital electron, such as a K, L, or M electron, leaving the atom ionized.
• An outer orbital electron will fall down to fill that vacancy, the energy is radiated in the form of
electromagnetic radiation.
• Characteristic of the atoms in the target and of the shells between which the transitions took
place
• Photon emitted will have energy hv = EK – EL
• The threshold energy that an incident electron must possess in order to first strip an electron
from the atom is called critical absorption energy

39. X-RAY ENERGY SPECTRA
• Kramer’s spectrum + characteristic X-rays
• Inherent filtration (equivalent to about 0.5- to
1.0-mm aluminum)
• Added filtration - enrich the beam with higher-
energy photons by absorbing the lower-energy
spectrum.
• As the filtration is increased, the transmitted
beam hardens, i.e., it achieves higher average
energy and greater penetrating power.
• Rule of thumb: average x-ray energy is
approximately 1/3rd of maximum energy

40. THANK YOU