Investigation of emitted electron characteristics from typical materials under X-ray irradiation

Han Lihui; Zhu Jinhui; Wang Jianguo; Niu Shengli; Liu Li; Zuo Yinghong

doi:10.11884/HPLPB202537.250215

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Han Lihui, Zhu Jinhui, Wang Jianguo, et al. Investigation of emitted electron characteristics from typical materials under X-ray irradiation[J]. High Power Laser and Particle Beams. doi: 10.11884/HPLPB202537.250215

Citation:

Han Lihui, Zhu Jinhui, Wang Jianguo, et al. Investigation of emitted electron characteristics from typical materials under X-ray irradiation[J]. High Power Laser and Particle Beams. doi: 10.11884/HPLPB202537.250215

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Investigation of emitted electron characteristics from typical materials under X-ray irradiation

doi: 10.11884/HPLPB202537.250215

Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, P. O. Box 69-12, Xi'an 710024, China

Received Date: 2025-07-15
Accepted Date: 2025-08-19
Rev Recd Date: 2025-08-21

Available Online: 2025-09-02

Abstract

Abstract

Background
System-generated electromagnetic pulse (SGEMP) effects induced by X-ray irradiation pose a significant threat to electronic systems in aerospace and nuclear environments. Accurate quantification of electron emission parameters, which are critical current sources for SGEMP simulation, remains challenging because of the complex coupled photon-electron transport processes involved.
Purpose
This study aims to systematically investigate the characteristics of backward- and forward-emitted electrons from typical materials (e.g., aluminum) under X-ray irradiation and develop efficient analytical models for predicting electron yields without relying on computationally intensive Monte Carlo (MC) simulations for each new scenario.
Methods
Photon-electron coupled transport simulations were performed using a Monte Carlo module combining the condensed history and single-event methods. The energy and angular distributions of emitted electrons were analyzed for X-rays (0.1–100 keV) normally incident on aluminum plates of varying thicknesses. Analytical models for backward and forward electron yields were derived based on photon mean free path, electron maximum range, and attenuation laws, with a cumulative correction factor introduced to improve forward yield accuracy.
Results
Backward electron energy spectra exhibited a double-peak structure (Compton and photoelectron peaks), with angular distributions following a cosine law. A saturation thickness of～3 photon mean free paths was identified for backward yield, beyond which yields remained constant. For forward emission, yields peaked at the electron maximum range thickness and decreased with further increasing plate thickness. The proposed analytical formulas for both backward and forward yields achieved relative errors within 10% compared to direct MC simulations across the studied energy and thickness ranges.
Conclusions
The derived analytical models provide efficient and accurate predictions of electron emission coefficients for SGEMP source terms, reducing the need for repeated MC simulations. The methodology is generalizable to other materials and supports rapid assessment of X-ray-induced electron emission in complex systems. Future work will explore machine learning techniques to further enhance computational efficiency for broader applications.
- X-ray,
- photoelectron,
- Compton electron,
- Monte Carlo simulation,
- system-generated electromagnetic pulse,
- electron yield,
- analytical model

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References(23)

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