röntgenutsläpp

Röntgenutsläpp is a Swedish term that translates to X-ray emission in English. It refers to the phenomenon where an atom or molecule emits a photon of X-ray radiation. This typically occurs when an electron transitions from a higher energy level to a lower energy level within the atom. The energy difference between these levels is released as an X-ray photon.

X-ray emission can be a result of various processes. One common mechanism is photoelectric absorption, where an incident photon (often a high-energy photon) ejects an inner-shell electron from an atom. The resulting vacancy is then filled by an electron from a higher energy shell, leading to the emission of an X-ray photon. Another process is electron-electron interaction, where an energetic electron knocks out an inner-shell electron, creating a vacancy that is subsequently filled by a higher-shell electron with X-ray emission.

The energy of the emitted X-ray photons is characteristic of the element from which they are emitted, as it depends on the specific energy levels of the atoms. This characteristic X-ray emission is the basis for techniques like X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, which is used for elemental analysis. X-ray emission can also occur as bremsstrahlung, a continuous spectrum of X-rays produced when charged particles, usually electrons, are decelerated as they pass through a material. This is the principle behind the generation of X-rays in X-ray tubes.