Gamma- and X-ray

Interaction with
Matter

BAEN-625 Advances in Food Engineering

Photon Interactions
 Energy absorbed

y When a radiation beam passes through material,

energy is lost from the incident beam
y Some energy is imparted to the medium and
some of it leaves the volume

ΔEab = ΔEtr − ΔEl

Energy transferred Energy lost
from the beam
 Absorption process
y Exponential law

− μ en L
I = I 0e
Io = initial intensity of the beam before absorption
I = final intensity of beam
μen = absorption coefficient of the material [1/cm]
L = thickness [cm]
Intensity = photon energy fluence rate [ MeV/s]
 Absorption process

y Attenuation coefficient, μ

μen for cm2/electron

μ/ρ for cm2/g (mass coefficient)
μa for cm2/atom (atomic coefficient)
μ for cm-1

⎛Z⎞
μ a = Zμ e ; μ = ρN A ⎜ ⎟ μ e
⎝ A⎠
Avogadro’s number
 Interactions type of interest

y Three modes of interaction

(depending on the photon
energy)
y Photoelectric effect, PE
y Compton effect, CE
y Pair production, PP
y Photons transfer their
energy to electrons
y Electrons then impart
energy to matter in many
Coulomb-force interactions
along theirs tracks
 Photon interaction

y Depends on
y Photon energy
Eγ = hv
y Atomic number Z of the
absorbing medium
y PE dominant at lower
photon energies
y CE at medium
Two kinds of interactions are
energies equally probable
CE dominance is very broad
y PP at higher energies for low Z values
 Compton Effect

y Two aspects
y Kinematics – relates the energies and angles of particles
when Compton event occurs
y Cross section – predicts the probability that a Compton
interaction will occur
y Assumed that the electron struck by the incoming
photon is initially unbound and stationary
 Compton effect

y Only part of the incident energy is absorbed to

eject an electron (Compton electron)
y During interaction:
y The photon disappears
y A secondary photon is created with reduced energy –
propagating in a changed direction
Compton Effect
 Kinematic of Compton effect

y A photon of energy Eγ
incident from the left
strikes an electron,
scattering it in an angle
θ with KE T
y The scattered photon
departs at angle φ on
the opposite side
y Energy and
momentum are
conserved
 Kinematics

hv
hv' =
1 + (hv / mo c 2 )(1 − cos φ )
T = hv − hv'
⎛ hv ⎞ ⎛ φ ⎞
cot θ = ⎜⎜1 + ⎟ tan⎜ ⎟
2 ⎟
⎝ mo c ⎠ ⎝ 2 ⎠

T, hv and hv’ [MeV]

Rest energy of electron = 0.511 MeV
 Kinematics
hv
hv' =
1 + (hv / mo c 2 )(1 − cos φ )
T = hv − hv' y Max electron energy
2(hv) 2 resulting from a head-
Tmax =
2hv + 0.511MeV on Compton collision
(θ=0o) by a photon of
energy hv occurs when
φ =180o

T, hv and hv’ [MeV]

Kinematics of hv, hv’ and T

hv
hv' =
1 + (hv / mo c 2 )(1 − cos φ )
T = hv − hv'
Electron and photon scattering
angles

⎛ hv ⎞ ⎛φ ⎞
cot θ = ⎜⎜ 1 + ⎟
2 ⎟
tan ⎜ ⎟
⎝ m o c ⎠ ⎝2⎠
 Interactions Cross Section for
Compton Effect
y Thomson scattering
y Klein-Nishina cross sections (K-N)
Total Thomson Scattering Cross
Section

e σ 0 = 6.65 ×10 cm / electron

−23 2

y Can be thought of as an effective target area

y The probability of a Thomson-scattering event
occurring when a single photon passes through a
layer containing 1 electron/cm2
y Fraction of a large number of incident photons that
scatter in passing through the same layer, i.e.,
approximately 665 events for 1027 photons
 Klein-Nishina cross sections

y Thomson’s cross section

y Independent of hv
y value is too large for hv > 0.01 MeV
y K-N differential cross section for low energies

d eσ r02 r 2
= (2 − sin φ ) = (1 + cos φ )
2 0 2
[cm2 sr-1 per electron]
dΩφ 2 2

solid angle
e2
r02 = = 2.818 ×10 −13 cm
mo c 2
 Total K-N cross section per
electron

⎧1 + α ⎡ 2(1 + α ) ln(1 + 2α ) ⎤ ln(1 + 2α ) 1 + 3α ⎫

e σ = 2πr ⎨ − + −
2
2 ⎢ ⎥ 2⎬
⎩ α ⎣ 1 + 2α α 2α (1 + 2α ) ⎭
0
⎦
hv[ MeV ]
α= 2
; mo c 2
= 0.511MeV
mo c
 K-N Compton effect cross
section
y Is independent of the atomic number Z

e σ ∝ Z 0

y So, the K-N cross section per atom of any Z is:

a σ = Z ⋅e σ [cm 2
/ atom]
K-N Compton mass attenuation
coefficient
σ N AZ
= σ [cm 2
/ g]
ρ
e
A
N A = 6.0022 × 10 23 mole −1 = Avogadro's constant
the number of atoms in a gram - atomic weight of
any element
Z = number of electron per atom of an element
A = number of grams per mole of material
ρ = density [g/cm3 ]
N AZ
= number of electrons per gram of material
A
 K-N energy transfer cross
section for the Compton effect
d eσ tr d eσ T r ⎛ hv' ⎞ ⎛ hv hv' 2 ⎞⎛ hv − hv ' ⎞
2 2

= ⋅ = ⎜ ⎟ (⎜ 0
+ − sin φ ⎟⎜ ⎟
dΩφ dΩφ hv 2 ⎝ hv ⎠ ⎝ hv' hv ⎠⎝ hv ⎠
[cm2/sr e]

⎡ 2 (1 + α ) 1 + 3α (1 + α )( 2α 2
− 2α − 1) ⎤
e σ tr = 2πr0 ⎢ 2 − −
2
⎥
⎣α (1 + 2α ) (1 + 2α ) α (1 + 2α )
2 2 2
⎦
4α 2 ⎛1+ α 1 1 ⎞
− − ⎜ 3 − + 3 ⎟
ln(1 + 2α ) cm2/e]
3(1 + 2α ) ⎝ α
3
2α 2α ⎠
This cross section, multiplied by the unit thickness 1 e/cm2, represents
the fraction of the energy fluence in a photon bean that is diverted to the
recoil electron
 K-N Compton effect cross
section

e σ − e σ tr = e σ s
(K - N cross section for the energy carried by the scattered photons)
 Average energy of the Compton
recoil electrons
y The average fraction of the incident photon’s
energy given to electron:

T e σ tr
=
hv eσ

y The average energy of the Compton recoil

electrons generated by photons of energy hv:
σ tr
T = hv ⋅ e

eσ
 Mean fractions

T
= mean fraction energy given to recoil electron
hv
hv'
= mean fraction energy retained by scattered photon
hv
K-N Compton mass-energy
transfer coefficient

σ tr N A Z
= e σ [cm / g ]
2

ρ A
 Photoelectric effect

y Most important interaction of low-energy photons

with matter
y Cross-sections for photoelectric effect increase
strongly, specially for high-Z media
y Photoelectric effect totally predominates over the
Compton effect at low photon energies
The Photoelectric effect

y A photon is absorbed
completely with the
ejection of an
electron

T = hv − Eb
Binding
KE of the Energy of a
energy of
ejected photon
electron an electron
in the beam in an atom
Photoelectric effect
 Kinematics of Photoelectric
Effect
y A photon cannot give
up all of its energy in
colliding with a free
electron (see case of
CE)
y For PE effect to take
place the electron to
be ejected must be
bound in a molecule or
atom
 Kinematics of Photoelectric
Effect
y The PE cannot take
place unless hv>Eb for
that electron
y The smaller hv is, the
more likely is the
occurrence of PE
y Ta = KE given to the T = hv − Eb − Ta
recoiling atom = 0
 Interactions Cross Section for
Photoelectric Effect
y More difficult to derive than for CE
y There is no single equation
y Published tables give results
 Photoelectric interaction cross
sections
y Interaction cross section per atom, integrated over
all angles of photoelectron emission
Zn
aτ ≅ k m
[cm 2
/ atom]
(hv)
y k = constant
y n ~ 4 at hv = 0.1 MeV (4.6 at 3 MeV)
y m ~ 3 at hv = 0.1 MeV (1.0 at 5 MeV)
y For hv < 0.1 MeV
τ ⎛Z ⎞
4 3
Z
τ ≅ [cm 2
/ atom] ∝ ⎜ ⎟ [cm 2 / g ]
ρ ⎝ hv ⎠
a 3
(hv)
Energy-transfer cross section for
the PE

T hv − Eb
=
hv hv
τ tr τ ⎡ hv − PK YK hvK − (1 − PK ) PLYL hvL ⎤
= ⎢ ⎥⎦
ρ ρ⎣ hv
Mass-attenuation coefficient for
Carbon
Mass-attenuation coefficient for
Lead
 Pair production
y For photoelectric and
Compton effects the
interaction of photon is with
electrons of atom
y Pair production involves
interaction of photons with
the nucleus of the atom
y The photon disappears
and a positron and an
electron appear
y ENERGY IS CONVERTED
TO MASS!!
Pair production

y It can only occur in a

Coulomb force field,
usually near the field of
an atomic nucleus
y It can also take place,
with lower probability,
in the field of an atomic
electron
y A min. photon energy
2m0c2=1.022 MeV is
required
Pair production in the nuclear
Coulomb force field

hv = 2m0 c 2 + T − + T +
= 1.022 MeV + T − + T +
hv − 1.022 MeV
T =
2
m0 c 2
θ ≅ (radians )
T
Atomic differential cross section

σ 0Z 2P
d(aκ ) = + 2
dT (cm / atom)
hv − 2m0 c 2

r02 1 ⎛ e2 ⎞
σ0 = = ⎜⎜ ⎟
2 ⎟
= 5 .80 × 10 − 28
cm 2
/ electron
137 137 ⎝ m0 c ⎠

P = Figure 7.18
Total nuclear pair-production
cross section/atom
σ 0Z 2P
d(aκ ) = dT + (cm 2 / atom)
hv − 2m0 c 2
( hv − 2 m0 c 2 )
PdT +
κ = ∫ a
d ( κ ) = σ Z 2
∫ hv − 2m0 c 2
a 0
+ 0
T
1
⎛ T+ ⎞
= σ 0 Z ∫ Pd ⎜⎜
2
⎟
2 ⎟
= σ Z 2
P
⎝ hv − 2m0 c ⎠
0
0

P = Figure 7.18
Mass attenuation coefficient for
nuclear PP

κ NA
=a κ 2
(cm / g )
ρ A
Z
≈ constant = 0.45 ± 0.05 (except for hydrogen)
A
 Total Coefficients for attenuation, energy
transfer, and energy absorption

y Mass attenuation coefficient

y Mass energy-transfer coefficient
y Mass energy-absorption coefficient
y Coefficient for compounds and mixtures
y Tables of photon interaction coefficients
 Mass attenuation coefficient

y The total mass attenuation coefficient for gamma-

ray interactions

μ σ τ κ
= + + [cm / g]
2

ρ ρ ρ ρ
Mass energy-transfer coefficient

y The total mass energy-transfer coefficient for

gamma-ray interactions

μtr σ tr τ tr κtr
= + +
ρ ρ ρ ρ
σ ⎡ T ⎤ τ ⎡ hv − pKYk hvK ⎤ κ ⎡ hv − 2m0c2 ⎤
= ⎢ ⎥+ ⎢ ⎥ + ⎢ ⎥
ρ ⎣ hv⎦ ρ ⎣ hv ⎦ ρ⎣ hv ⎦
 Mass energy-absorption
coefficient
y The total mass energy-absorption coefficient for
gamma-ray interactions
μen μtr
= (1− g)
ρ ρ
y g = average fraction of secondary-electron energy
that is lost in radiative interactions
y For low Z and hv, g~0
y For increasing Z and hv, g increases gradually
 Coefficient for Compounds and
Mixtures
y For compounds or mixtures of elements the Bragg
rule applies
⎛μ⎞ ⎛μ⎞ ⎛μ⎞
⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ f A + ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ f B + ...
⎝ ρ ⎠mix ⎝ ρ ⎠ A ⎝ ρ ⎠B
⎛ μtr ⎞ ⎛ μtr ⎞ ⎛ μ tr ⎞
⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ f A + ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ f B + ..
⎝ ρ ⎠mix ⎝ ρ ⎠ A ⎝ ρ ⎠B

y fA , fB …= are the weight fractions of separate

elements (A,B,…)
 Coefficient for Compounds and
Mixtures
y Same rule also applies to the mass energy-
absorption coefficient
⎛ μen ⎞ ⎛ μen ⎞ ⎛ μ en ⎞
⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ ≅ ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ f A + ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ f B + ..
⎝ ρ ⎠mix ⎝ ρ ⎠ A ⎝ ρ ⎠B
⎛ μtr ⎞ ⎛ μ tr ⎞
≅ ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ (1− g A ) f A + ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ (1− gB ) f B + ..
⎝ ρ ⎠A ⎝ ρ ⎠B

y gA , gB …= are radiation yield fractions for

elements (A,B,…)
 Coefficient for Compounds and
Mixtures
y For water, for example

Atom Z A H 2O B F=B*A μ/ρ (@1MeV)

2*0.0556= 1*0.1111=0.
H 1 1 2 0.1111 1111 1.26E-01
1*0.0556= 16*0.0556=
O 8 16 1 0.0556 0.8889 6.37E-02

MW 18 FH*1.26e‐1+FO*6.37e‐2

Weig Fra/MW 1/18=0.0556 1 7.07E‐02

⎛μ⎞ ⎛μ⎞ ⎛μ⎞

⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ f A + ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ f B + ...
⎝ ρ ⎠mix ⎝ ρ ⎠ A ⎝ ρ ⎠B
 Tables of photon interaction
coefficients
y Appendix D.1, D.2, D.3 and D.4