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Electron and Photon Interactions with Matter

Martin Crnički

University of Rijeka

Author Note

Radiation Protection of Population and Environment from Ionizing Radiation Originating from

Radionuclides in Medicine
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Electron and Photon Interactions with Matter

Interaction of radiation with biological systems can result in changes either harmful or not. These

can become acutely apparent or seen years after they manifest. The possibility of occurrence and the type

and severity of these changes depend on many factors. Some will depend on the radiation and its after-

effects. Some will depend on the characteristics of biological tissue for example. The discussion will be

limited to the aspects of radiation needed in seeking possible dangers in its use and how they relate to

nuclear medicine. Likewise, it is grounded in a base-level grasp and understanding of nuclear physics.

Nuclear medicine is based on the use of radionuclides in diagnosis and treatment of medical

conditions. Diagnostic radiology is used for its morphological and structural function. Nuclear medicine

complements rather than competes with radiological diagnostics

As a beam of radiation passes through any absorbing medium; interactions will occur between the

beam (charged particles) and matter. Upon interaction the absorber atoms eject electrons. These electrons

will transfer their energy by producing excitation and ionization of any atoms in their path. In the case

that the absorber medium will be body tissue, this excess energy will be deposited. This will have a

harmful biological effect. Most of the energy will be converted to heat, having no significant impact on

body tissue.

In the sequence of harmful biological effect, energy deposited by radiation in the form of

ionization and excitation of some atoms or molecules of the bio-tissue. Charged particles, cause ionization

and excitations in the interacting medium. While x- or γ-rays first produce an electron (through

photoelectric, Compton, or pair production interactions) that then causes ionizations and excitations in the

medium. Therefore, these are referred to as ionizing radiation.

Electron interactions with Matter

The term electrons are meant to include both the positive and negative types. As charged particles

travel through an absorbing material, they will undergo Coulombic interactions. Before their kinetic

energy is expelled, the nuclei and atoms of the absorbing material will interact.
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. Charged particle interactions with orbital electrons of the absorber result in collision interactions

with nuclei of the absorber result in radiation loss. Each interaction between the electron and absorber is

characterized by ‘probability’ for the interaction. The charged particle travelling, the absorber loses

energy. This loss will depend on things such as its mass, charge, speed, and kinetic energy. The absorbers’

characteristics would also affect the ejected energy.

Stopping power is the measure which describes the progressive loss of energy of the charged

particle. There are two known forms of stopping power.

Collision stopping power results from charged particle interaction with orbital electrons of the

absorber and radiation stopping power results from charged particle interaction with nuclei of the

absorber. The total stopping power is the sum of the collision stopping power and the radiation stopping

power.1

Coulomb interactions between the incident electron or positron and orbital electrons of an

absorber result in ionizations and excitations of absorber atoms. As the first electron and absorber nuclei

collide; their coulombic interaction will result in scattering. Here the particles’ kinetic energy is

conserved, but direction of propagation modified.

If particle energy isn’t conserved, it will lose some of that kinetic energy by creating photons.

This is referred to as bremsstrahlung radiation

Photon interaction with matter1

When a material is radiated, the composition of the matter will be altered. Matter is that which occupies

space and consists of mass. As the radiation energy is transferred, the structure will be changed and

heated. The following photon interactions are means of photon detection.

Photoelectric effect

When a photon interacts with a target atom through the photoelectric effect, it will completely

transfer its energy to one electron in the atom. The photon would be completely absorbed. This absorption

of energy leads to atom ionization (ejection of an orbital electron from the absorber atom1) by ejecting an

electron. It will have a kinetic energy equal to the photon energy minus the binding energy in the shell.
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Ee  E  Eb

The electron is released from inner shells. If it is released from the K shell, a space is made in this

shell that is filled by an electron from one of the higher shells.

This results in characteristic x-ray or Auger electron by the atom. If outer-shell electrons are

involved, the atom is ionized. The probability of the photoelectric interaction by an atom depends on the

energy of the photon and the atomic number of the atom involved.

Compton and Raleigh Scattering

In this process, a high-energy photon is scattered by an electron. The scattered electron gains

energy, and the incident photon loses energy. The energy gained by the electron or lost by the photon will

depend on the photon energy and scatter.

The larger the scattering angle, the more energy it will lose to an electron. Meaning that the

highest amount of transferred energy from photon to electron would occur at an angle of 180 degrees.
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Rayleigh scattering is a type of scattering interaction that occurs between a photon and an atom as a

whole

Pair production

For this interaction to occur, the energy of the gamma ray must be larger than 1.02 MeV. When a

gamma ray of energy of 1.02 MeV passes through the electric field of a nucleus, it creates an electron and

a positron (the gamma ray energy is converted into mass).

This process is called pair production. The excess energy of the gamma ray ( −1.02 MeV) is

shared by e − and e + as kinetic energy.

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References

a) D.L.Bailey: Nuclear Medicine Physics: A handbook for teachers nad student:

1.5. ELECTRON INTERACTIONS WITH MATTER page 28.-29. 1.6. PHOTON
INTERACTIONS WITH MATTER page 37.-40. and 44.-45.
b) https://science.mcmaster.ca/radgrad/images/6R06CourseResources/4R6Notes
5_Photon_Spectrometry.pdf (chapter 5.1. page 5-1 to 5-5)