X-RAYS

-ARE HIGHLY PENETRATING FORM OF ELECTROMAGNETIC

RADIATION .
-THESE ARE PRODUCED WHENEVER STREAM OF FAST MOVING
ELECTRONS UNDERGOES RAPID
DECCELERATION.
-Discovered by german physicist wilhelm roentgen in 1895 for which he
received noble prize in physics.
X RAY TUBE

CONSISTS OF
A ) glass bulb from which air has been removed
B ) two terminals - cathode(-) and anode(+)
THESE ARE THERMIONIC DIODE TUBES also k/a
hot filament or coolidge tube CONSISTING OF
1.Tungsten filament cathode
2.Tungsten target anode
3.Glass envelope
4.Two circuits
A.To heat the filament.
B.To drive space charge e‾ to
anode.
 GLASS ENVELOPE:-
DEGASSING: IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH
VACCUM IS CREATED INSIDE THE GLASS
TUBE.

ADVANTAGE OF VACCUM:-

1.UNOBSTRUCTED PATH FOR E

2.PREVENTS BURNING OF FILAMENT.

Cathode assembly consists of
• Filament (2mm diameter&10mm length)
• Supporting wires
• Metal focusing cup: confines e‾ to a narrow
beam which focuses a small spot on anode
k/a focal spot/tube focus.
Filament current operates at 10V&3-5 mAs.
But with aging of tube filament evaporation
occurs resulting in
• 1.Thinning of filament: this needs to lower
the filament current.
• 2.Deposition of tungsten on the glass tube
:puncture the tube.
ANODE
CONSISTS OF:
• Tungsten target embedded in block of copper.
• Target is the area on anode in which x ray are
actually produced.
• 99% of kinetic energy of e converted into heat
• So Melting point should be high as much as 3370 c
 LINE FOCUS PRINCIPLE
Anodes of radiographic tubes are constructed
on the line focus principle
Provides area which when projected towards
the film is smaller than actual area on target.
 Initially low voltage is applied

It causes Emission of electron (E) from cathode

Creating space charge or cloud of electron around cathode

E remains in vicinity of hot filament as charge(space charge effect)

When high KV applied

More and more space charge E are driven from cathode that is

creating large (-) charge in cathode and (+) charge on anode

E move with tremendous speed towards anode(kinetic energy)

Strikes anode

Kinetic energy is converted into heat and X RAY .

DETAILS OF X RAY PRODUCTION
• These four conditions required for the
production of x ray.
• 1. Separation of electrons
• 2.production of high speed electrons.
• 3.Focusing of electron
• 4. stopping of high speed electrons.
1. Separation of electron
• In common with all other atom , Tungsten
atoms in Filament have orbital e- circulating
around a central nucleus.
• How can these electrons be liberated?
• By filament current supplying the filament
causes it to become glowing hot with
resulting separation of some of its outer shell
electrons.
• These electrons form a cloud or space charge
nearby.
2. Production of high speed E-
• Now high potential difference applied across
the tube gives the filament a very high
negative charge and target equally high
positive charge.
• The resulting strong electric field causes the
space charge e- to rush at extremely high
speed through the from cathode to anode.
• This e- stream is expressed in milliampere
(mA), while total charge transferred in the
process in milliampere-seconds(mAs)
3. Focusing of electrons
• The e- stream in tube is confined to very
narrow beam and is concentrated on small
spot on anode face known as focal spot by
a metal focusing cup on filament cathode.
• The narrower the e- beam the smaller the
focal spot and sharper the x ray images.
4.Stopping of High speed e- in
Target
• When the fast e- enter the positively
charged target of x ray tube, their kinetic
energy changes to heat and x ray.
• X rays emitted in all direction from target
anode , but only those leaving the window
of x ray tube comprise the useful beam.
Here a confusion should be avoided between
e- flowing in the tube and x ray emerging
from tube.
anology
If we throw stones toward an iron gate, it
produces sound vibration.
SPACE CHARGE EFFECT
SPACE CHARGE CONSISTS OF E THAT
TENDS TO HOLD BACK FURTHER EMISSION OF
E
SOME E REPPELLED FROM THE SPACE CHARGE
GOES BACK INTO THE FILAMENT
EQUILLIBRIUM REACHED BETWEEN RATE OF
EMISSION & RATE OF RETURN OF E TO THE
FILAMENT FROM SPACE CHARGE.
SPACE CHARGE HAS DEFINITE SIZE FOR GIVEN
VALUE OF FILAMENT CURRENT IN A GIVEN
TUBE.
Interaction of e- with Target Atoms
• When the fast e stream enters the tube
target , e interact with target atoms
producing x rays by two processes.
• 1. BREMS RADIATION
• 2. CHARACTERSIC RADIATION
BREMS RADIATION
• Upon approaching strongly positive nuclear
field of target atom , -vely charged high
speed e- is deviated from its initial path
because of the attraction btn opposite
charges, as a result e- slows down or
decelerates thereby losing some its kinetic
energy .
• The lost kinetic energy is radiated as an x ray
of equivalnt energy. The BREMSSTRAHLUNG
OR BRAKING radiation is used to this
process.
• This brems radiation is polyenergetic
means non uniform in its energy and
wavelenghth because amount
deceleration varies among e- according to
their speed and how closely they approach
the nucleus. So e- that approach nucleus
head on is completely stopped , in this
case all kinetic energy is coverted to
equivalent x ray energy.
Brems radiation
2. CHARACTERSTIC RADIATION
• e- with sufficient minimum kinetic energy
may ineract with inner orbital e- of target
atom, ejecting from its orbit. The target atom
is unstable bieng inonized and in excited
state.
• Immediately space vacated by this e- is filled
b e- transition from one of outer shell. Energy
is given off during this transition emitting as
Characteristic radiation.
• 10%
CHARACTERSTICS RADIATION
 CONTROL OF FILAMENT AND
TUBE CURRENT
Two circuits are operating in X ray tube
a) Filament circuit :carrying current needed to heat
the filament
b) Tube circuit :carrying the tube current which
passes between the electrodes of X RAY tubes
Small change in filament current produces large
change in tube current ,therefore by regulating
filament current we can control X RAY output.
FACTORS GOVERNING TUBE LIFE.

1.FILAMENT FACTORS

BURNING OUT OF FILAMENT due to excess

application of current which raises filament
temperature beyond rated limit.
Prolonged heating causes evaporation of metal
resulting in decrease in diameter.
Also tungsten coats the wall of insert causes
puncturing of it.(MOST COMMON CAUSE OF
TUBE FAILURE AT PRESENT.)
2.ANODE FACTORS
Ability of anode to ,accumulate &discharge heat limits
max. allowable techniques.
Radiographic tube rating charts: indicates the
maximum SAFE exposure time for any selected
combination of kV & mA for a single exposure &
relatively cool tube.
These must be obtained from manufacturers.
2.ANODE THERMAL CAPACITY
•CAPACITY OF ANODE TO STORE HEAT
WITHOUT CRACKING,MELTING OR WARPING.
•MEASURED IN TERMS OF :HEAT UNITS.
H.U. =KVP * ma *sec.(1 H U=0.71 WATT.SEC)
•THERMAL capacity of anode ranges from40,000 to
70,000 HU
•DEPENDS ON ITS MASS& TYPE OF COOLING
METHOD.
•ADEQUATE COOLING ACHIEVED BY TRANSFER
OF HEAT TO oil, tube housing& air simple
convection.
3.HOUSING FACTORS
Ability of housing to store &
dissipitate heat contributes to tube
life,
Ideal temp should be less than 90 c
Excess heating of oil to boiling point
results in explosion of housing.
PROPERTIES OF XRAY
• 1. Highly penetrating ,invisible rays which
belong to general category of
electromagnetic radiation and behave both
as a particle and waves.
• 2. electrically neutral , so they cant be
deflected by electric fields.
• 3. polyenergetic , having a wide span of
energies and wavelengh.
• 4. liberate minute amount of heat on passing
through matter.
• 5. travel in straight line
• 6.travel only at speed of light.
• 7. ionize gases because their ability to remove
orbital e-from atom.
• 8. cause flourescence of certain crystals.
• 9. can not be focused by lens.
• 10. affect photographic film producing a
latent image which can be developed
chemically.
• Produce secondary and scattered radiation.
Thanks…