scholarly journals FORMATION AND MONITORING OF SECONDARY X-RAY RADIATION UNDER PRODUCT PROCESSING WITH ELECTRON BEAM

2021 ◽  
pp. 201-205
Author(s):  
R.I. Pomatsalyuk ◽  
V.A. Shevchenko ◽  
D.V. Titov ◽  
A.Eh. Tenishev ◽  
V.L. Uvarov ◽  
...  

When conducting an industrial radiation processes at an electron accelerator, a part of the beam energy is trans-formed into bremsstrahlung radiation. In such a way, the mixed e,X-radiation is formed in the area behind an irra-diated object. The intensity of the electron and photon components in the radiation is determined by the energy and power of the primary electron beam, as well as by the parameters of the object and devices located behind it. In paper, the characteristics of the e,X-radiation accompanying the product processing by a scanning electron beam with energy 8…12 MeV at a LU-10 Linac of NSC KIPT are studied. The conditions for obtaining a source of sec-ondary X-rays in the state of electronic equilibrium, as well as its monitoring using an extended free-air ionization chamber are explored. Such an extra-source of radiation can be used for carrying out various non-commercial pro-grams like radiation tests, sanitization of archival materials and cultural heritage objects, etc.

Author(s):  
Brendon J. Griffin

Chamber pressure, accelerating voltage and working distance have been shown to control the relative diameter of the scattered skirt of the primary electron beam at the specimen surface in the ESEM. Inital x-ray studies indicate that at 3 torr, 30 kV and a WD=15mm, 45% of the beam comes from beyond 25 μm of the incidence point and 4% from beyond 1.5mm. At 5 torr 66% of the beam is scattered beyond 25 μm2. No specific data was available on the spatial resolution of x rays and this study aimed to improve that situation. The results also form the basis for establishing a mechanism for and defining the potential limits of quantitative EDS microanalysis in the ESEM.The negative viewing angle of the EDS x-ray detector in the current ESEM (model E-3) requires at least a 15 degree tilt on a flat sample for microanalysis. This geometry places a narrow limit on the working distance range that can be used, due to the collimation of the detector, thereby effectively eliminating working distance as a variable in x-ray microanalysis.


Author(s):  
E. A. Kenik ◽  
J. Bentley

The spatial resolution and accuracy of X-ray microanalysis in an analytical electron microscope (AEM) are limited by a variety of factors, two of which are the hole count and secondary fluorescence. The hole count arises from uncollimated radiation, either electrons or X rays, which excites areas of the specimen other than that excited by the primary electron beam. This can result in X-ray generation even when the probe does not hit the specimen; hence the name hole count. Secondary fluorescence deals with X-ray generation resulting from radiation produced by the interaction of the incident probe with the specimen. This radiation may be either backscattered electrons spiraling in the magnetic field of the objective lens or high energy X rays, particularly forward-peaked bremsstrahlung radiation. As the interaction of both the uncollimated radiation and the secondary radiation with the specimen can be influenced by the tilt angle of the specimen, the variation of the hole count and secondary fluorescence with specimen tilt was investigated.


2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (S2) ◽  
pp. 790-791
Author(s):  
R. A. Carlton ◽  
C. E. Lyman ◽  
J. E. Roberts

Standard Reference Material (SRM) 482 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology is a set of 6 gold/copper wires, ranging in concentration from 0 to 100% Cu in 20% steps, intended for calibration studies of electron beam microanalyzers. This is an appropriate standard to test the accuracy of energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDS) in the Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM). While the presence of the gas in the sample chamber gives the ESEM its unique capabilities, it also is the source of complications to x-ray spectrometry. The gas can spread the primary electron beam into a wide skirt of electrons with the consequent production of x-rays many micrometers from the target location of the beam.The six wires (∼ 500 jam in diameter) were embedded and polished in one epoxy mount. The mount was carbon coated in one set of experiments. The coating was removed and the sample retested.


Author(s):  
John A. Small ◽  
Scott A. Wight ◽  
Robert L. Myklebust ◽  
Dale E. Newbury

The characteristic fluorescence correction is used in electron probe microanalysis to account for the x-ray intensity excited in element “a” by the x-rays from the characteristic line of another element, “b”, in the sample. Since the excited intensity is not generated by the primary electron beam, it is necessary to apply the fluorescence correction for quantitative elemental analysis. This correction can be significant particularly when element “b” is a major component of the sample and the characteristic line for element “b” is slightly higher in energy than the critical excitation energy for the excited line of element “a”.The fluorescence correction, which is used in the various analytical programs, is described in equation 1.where I'*fa/I'*pa is the ratio of the emitted “a” intensity excited by “b” x-rays to the emitted intensity excited by the primary electron beam. The various parameters in this equation are accurately known for the K x-ray lines, but only very limited information is available for the M x-ray lines.


2016 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. 1660213 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Bendahan ◽  
W.G.J. Langeveld ◽  
V. Bharadwaj ◽  
J. Amann ◽  
C. Limborg ◽  
...  

In the present work, a method to direct the X-ray beam in real time to the desired locations in the cargo to increase penetration and reduce exclusion zone is presented. Cargo scanners employ high energy X-rays to produce radiographic images of the cargo. Most new scanners employ dual-energy to produce, in addition to attenuation maps, atomic number information in order to facilitate the detection of contraband. The electron beam producing the bremsstrahlung X-ray beam is usually directed approximately to the center of the container, concentrating the highest X-ray intensity to that area. Other parts of the container are exposed to lower radiation levels due to the large drop-off of the bremsstrahlung radiation intensity as a function of angle, especially for high energies (>6 MV). This results in lower penetration in these areas, requiring higher power sources that increase the dose and exclusion zone. The capability to modulate the X-ray source intensity on a pulse-by-pulse basis to deliver only as much radiation as required to the cargo has been reported previously. This method is, however, controlled by the most attenuating part of the inspected slice, resulting in excessive radiation to other areas of the cargo. A method to direct a dual-energy beam has been developed to provide a more precisely controlled level of required radiation to highly attenuating areas. The present method is based on steering the dual-energy electron beam using magnetic components on a pulse-to-pulse basis to a fixed location on the X-ray production target, but incident at different angles so as to direct the maximum intensity of the produced bremsstrahlung to the desired locations. The details of the technique and subsystem and simulation results are presented.


1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (S2) ◽  
pp. 294-295
Author(s):  
R. A. Carlton ◽  
C. E. Lyman ◽  
J. E. Roberts

Standard Reference Material (SRM) 482 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology is a set of 6 gold/copper wires, ranging in concentration from 0 to 100% Cu in 20% steps, intended for calibration studies of electron beam microanalyzers. This is an appropriate standard to test the accuracy of energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDS) in the Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM). While the presence of the gas in the sample chamber gives the ESEM its unique capabilities, it also is the source of complications to x-ray spectrometry. The gas can spread the primary electron beam into a wide skirt of electrons with the consequent production of x-rays many micrometers from the target location of the beam. In spite of the difficulties, at least two methods have been proposed to correct high pressure data to that expected at low pressures.


Author(s):  
W. Brünger

Reconstructive tomography is a new technique in diagnostic radiology for imaging cross-sectional planes of the human body /1/. A collimated beam of X-rays is scanned through a thin slice of the body and the transmitted intensity is recorded by a detector giving a linear shadow graph or projection (see fig. 1). Many of these projections at different angles are used to reconstruct the body-layer, usually with the aid of a computer. The picture element size of present tomographic scanners is approximately 1.1 mm2.Micro tomography can be realized using the very fine X-ray source generated by the focused electron beam of a scanning electron microscope (see fig. 2). The translation of the X-ray source is done by a line scan of the electron beam on a polished target surface /2/. Projections at different angles are produced by rotating the object.During the registration of a single scan the electron beam is deflected in one direction only, while both deflections are operating in the display tube.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily J. King ◽  
Natalie N. Viscariello ◽  
Larry A. DeWerd

This work seeks to develop standard X-ray beams that are matched to radiobiology X-ray irradiators. The calibration of detectors used for dose determination of these irradiators is performed with a set of standard X rays that are more heavily filtered and/or lower energy, which leads to a higher uncertainty in the dose measurement. Models of the XRad320, SARRP, and the X-ray tube at the University of Wisconsin Medical Radiation Research Center (UWMRRC) were created using the BEAMnrc user code of the EGSnrc Monte Carlo code system. These models were validated against measurements, and the resultant modeled spectra were used to determine the amount of added filtration needed to match the X-ray beams at the UWMRRC to those of the XRad320 and SARRP. The depth profiles and half-value layer (HVL) simulations performed using BEAMnrc agreed to measurements within 3% and 3.6%, respectively. A primary measurement device, a free-air chamber, was developed to measure air kerma in the medium energy range of X rays. The resultant spectra of the matched beams had HVL's that matched the HVL's of the radiobiology irradiators well within the 3% criteria recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the average energies agreed within 2.4%. In conclusion, three standard X-ray beams were developed at the UWMRRC with spectra that more closely match the spectra of the XRad320 and SARRP radiobiology irradiators, which will aid in a more accurate dose determination during calibration of these irradiators.


Some of these could also be operated in the energy range above lOMeV for experiments designed to determine at which energy level radioactivity can be induced in the irradiated medium. A linac with a maximum energy of 25 MeV was commissioned for the U.S. Army Natick Research and Development Labora­ tories in 1963. Its beam power was 6.5 kW at an electron energy of 10 MeV, 18 kW at 24 MeV. Assuming 100% efficiency, a 1-kW beam can irradiate 360 kg of product with a dose of 10 kGy/h. The efficiency of electron accelerators is higher than that of gamma sources because the electron beam can be directed at the product, whereas the gamma sources emit radiation in all directions. An efficiency of 50% is a realistic assumption for accelerator facilities. With that and 6.5 kW beam power an accelerator of the type built for the Natick laboratories can process about 1.2t/h at 10 kGy. In Odessa in the former Soviet Union, now in the Ukraine, two 20-kW accelerators with an energy of 1.4 MeV installed next to a grain elevator went into operation in 1983. Each accelerator has the capacity to irradiate 200 t of wheat per hour with a dose of 200 Gy for insect disinfestation. This corresponds to a beam utilization of 56% (9). In France, a facility for electron irradiation of frozen deboned chicken meat commenced operation at Berric near Vannes (Brittany) in late 1986. The purpose of irradiation is to improve the hygienic quality of the meat by destroying salmonella and other disease-causing (pathogenic) microorganisms. The electron beam accelerator is a 7 MeV/10 kW Cassitron built by CGR-MeV (10). An irradiation facility of this type is shown in Figure . Because of their relatively low depth of penetration electron beams cannot be used for the irradiation of animal carcasses, large packages, or other thick materials. However, this difficulty can be overcome by converting the electrons to x-rays. As indicated in Figure 9, this can be done by fitting a water-cooled metal plate to the scanner. Whereas in conventional x-ray tubes the conversion of electron energy to x-ray energy occurs only with an efficiency of about %, much higher efficiencies can be achieved in electron accelerators. The conversion efficiency depends on the material of the converter plate (target) and on the electron energy. Copper converts 5-MeV electrons with about 7% efficiency, 10-MeV electrons with 12% efficiency. A tungsten target can convert 5-MeV electrons with about 20%, 10-MeV electrons with 30% efficiency. (Exact values depend on target thickness.) In contrast to the distinct gamma radiation energy emitted from radionuclides and to the monoenergetic electrons produced by accelerators, the energy spectrum of x-rays is continuous from the value equivalent to the energy of the bombarding electrons to zero. The intensity of this spectrum peaks at about one-tenth of the maximum energy value. The exact location of the intensity peak depends on the thickness of the converter plate and on some other factors. As indicated in Figure

1995 ◽  
pp. 40-40

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (S2) ◽  
pp. 182-183
Author(s):  
John F. Mansfield ◽  
Brett L. Pennington

The environmental scanning electron microscope (Environmental SEM) has proved to be a powerful tool in both materials science and the life sciences. Full characterization of materials in the environmental SEM often requires chemical analysis by X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS). However, the spatial resolution of the XEDS signal can be severely degraded by the gaseous environment in the sample chamber. At an operating pressure of 5Torr a significant fraction of the primary electron beam is scattered after it passes through the final pressure limiting aperture and before it strikes the sample. Bolon and Griffin have both published data that illustrates this effect very well. Bolon revealed that 45% of the primary electron beam was scattered by more than 25 μm in an Environmental SEM operating at an accelerating voltage of 30kV, with a water vapor pressure of 3Torr and a working distance of 15mm.


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