X-rays Ant X-ray Attenuation Coefficient ()

Aim:
1- To investigate the attenuation of x-rays as a function of the absorber thickness.
2- To determine the linear attenuation coefficient (µ) of the aluminum experimentally.
3- To determine the half value layer of investigated material

Theory:

In principle, the attenuation is the gradual loss in intensity of any kind of flux through a medium. For
instance, sunlight is attenuated by dark glasses, X-rays are attenuated by lead. Regarding X-rays, the
attenuation of X-rays is the reduction in the intensity of x-rays due to absorption and scattering of
some of the photons out of the x-ray beam

x Scattered x-rays
I
(Attenuated)
X-ray
detector

Io
(T%)
(Un-attenuated)
X- ray Absorber
(attenuating material)
source
Narrow beam
Collimator
-μx
I = Ioe
Figure 1 shows experimental arrangement for measuring X-rays attenuation

When x-rays fall on a material, x-rays may suffer from scattering and absorption, however, the
interaction depends on both energy and material. The scattering of x-rays quanta (photons) at the atoms
of the attenuator material causes an apart of the radiation to change direction. Some part od X-rays
photons are totally absorbed within material. These reduce the intensity in the original direction
reaching the detector. The X-rays photons scattering can be either elastic or inelastic scattering, for
more information take a look on the Medical Physics Manuscript of X-rays.

Intensity of X-rays beam passing through matter of constant density and composition decreases
exponentially as function of distance traveled. The X-ray intensity transmitted through a dense material
is given by:

I = Io exp (-x)
Where I is the transmitted X-ray intensity, Io is the incident X-ray intensity, μ is the linear attenuation
coefficient (in cm-1) and x is the thickness of the material (in cm). The relation between the linear
attenuation coefficient of a material and the attenuator thickness is known as Lambert's law.

This equation shows that the attenuation of X-rays intensity depends on the
− The density of the material (the linear attenuation coefficient μ increases with density)
− The thickness of the material.

The greater the so-called transmittance of an attenuator is, the lower is its attenuating

capacity. The above equation can be rewrite to calculate he linear attenuation coefficient,

[ ]

The half value layer (HVL): is the thickness of material that reduces the transmitted intensity to half of incident
intensity, at HVL, I = Io/2

Equipment:
1- X-ray instrument which involves
a- X-rays source
b- Geiger Counter (detector)
c- Aluminum foils with thickness of 0.1 mm.

Procedure
1- Set the tube high voltage to U = 21 kV
2- Set the emission current i = 0.05 mA
3- Set the angular step width  β = 0°
4- Set the measuring time t = 30 sec.
 5- Measure the incident intensity [I] (no foils between the x-ray source and the Geiger counter
(detector)) display by pressing REPLAY.
6- Put the foil of thickness 0.2 mm between X-ray source and the detector and press SCAN. The
measurement with the scan key and display by pressing REPLAY to get the intensity of the X-ray
beam in terms of CPS Count per second.
7- Repeat step 6 for different thicknesses, namely 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2 mm.
8- Record the experiment results in the table.
9- Plot the relation between thickness of the Aluminum absorber on X- axis and the transmitted
intensity (I) on Y-axis; comment on your results and from the curve find out the half value layer of
Aluminum attenuator, see Figure 2
10- Plot the thickness of the Aluminum absorber on X- axis and Ln [I/I] on Y-axis, find the linear
regression (slope) of the straight line you get which is the linear attenuation coefficient of
Aluminum..

Results
The incident intensity of X-rays (without absorber) I = 950 CPS.

x [mm] I [I/I] Ln [I/I]

0.2 650

0.4 467

0.6 327

0.8 253

1 189

1.2 152
 Intensity *CPS+
I

Io/2

0 T1/2 Al thickness *cm+

Figure 2. Transmitted intensity as a function of Al thickness.

Figure 3. Ln [I/I] versus the Al thickness, the linear regression of the line gives the linear attenuation
coefficient of Al.