Modification of PADC through electron–target collision

Abstract

The stopping power of an impinging electron beam depends on the atomic number and the atomic weight of the target material. Both the scattering and the slowing down of electrons increase with increasing target atom mass. Moreover high-energy electrons in the vicinity of heavy metal nuclei emits bremsstrahlung. In the present work, the energy loss of electrons when it traverses the layered metallic targets, has been calculated as the total energy loss which is the sum of the energy loss by ionisation and that due to bremsstrahlung emission. The effect of electron energy loss is observed in the modification in track properties of polyallyldiglycol carbonate (PADC). The etching behaviour of PADC was improved which might be due to the effect of bremsstrahlung emission. A comparative study has been carried out to study the effect of metallic targets of different atomic numbers on the energy loss phenomena.