Attenuation of bremsstrahlung from 90Sr–90Y, 147Pm and 204Tl in thick target compounds

The external bremsstrahlung (EB) produced by beta particles such as from 90Sr–90Y, 147Pm and 204Tl in PbCl2, PbF2, Pb(NO3)2 and CdO were measured using NaI(Tl) crystal. The beta stopper technique is employed to measure the integral intensities above 100 keV energy in different absorber thicknesses. Attenuation of the external bremsstrahlung, excited by 90Sr–90Y, 147Pm and 204Tl beta-emitters in the same compounds has also been studied. The measured attenuation parameter is not constant with absorber thickness and it increases with increasing Zmod of the absorber. Whereas, the mass attenuation coefficient of gamma rays of equivalent energy is independent of the absorber thickness. This confirms that the attenuation of EB in an absorber does not conform to a single exponential law, unlike the absorption of monoenergetic gamma rays. Rather it may be a combination of a large number of exponential terms.