Measurement of transition radiation from medium-energy electrons

The absolute differential production efficiencies (photons/eV sr electron) for x rays emitted from each of three transition radiators were measured for incident electron-beam energies of 17.2, 25, and 54 MeV. The radiators were made of stacks of 1.0-μm-thick foils: 18 foils of beryllium, 18 foils of carbon, and 30 foils of aluminum. The radiation spectra were most intense between 0.5 and 2.5 keV, peaking at 0.8, 1.3, and 1.3 keV, respectively. The angular distribution of the transition radiation from the beryllium-foil stack was measured for the three electron-beam energies and found to agree well with theoretical predictions. Owing to K-shell absorption, the photon-energy spectra from the carbon and aluminum stacks are narrowed. Theoretical calculations, which include both the two-surface interference and photon attenuation in the foil material, agree well with these data. A method of enhancing output using a split-foil stack is considered; cursory experiments with a split stack of Mylar foils showed enhanced emission. The use of transition radiation as a source of x rays for lithographic purposes may be practical.